RISK FACTORS AFFECTING THE OCCURRENCE OF PREWEANING DIARRHEA IN PIG FARMS OF SOUTHWEST PARANA

Abstract

Twenty two swine farms in Southwest of Paraná State, Brazil, were evaluated during the summer of 1991. In each herd, at least six sows and her litters were evaluated from the birth up to weaning by four objective variables (diarrhea in the suckling, mortality rate, weight variation coefficient at weaning and daily average weight gain in the period), and sixteen explanatory variables were studied (daily thermal amplitude, % area of the windows in the plant, pen's area, corporal status  of the sow, creep presence, farrowing assistance, omphalitis presence, internal minimal temperature in the building, litter size at birth, colibacillosis vaccination, number of piglets per pen, collective suckling, roof presence in the building, intestinal parasites presence and sanitary break utilization. The variables were evaluated by ECOSUI program developed by Embrapa Suínos e Aves. The main risk factors observed, present in more than 95% of the farms were: high daily thermal amplitude, sanitary break absence, intestinal parasites presence in sows and her litters, colibacilosis vaccination absence. The results indicate the presence of risk factors in the farms studied which reduce the piglets performance.