Comparison of Tylvalosin with Tylosin for the control of subclinical ileitis in swine

SUMMARY In a comparative, mono-centric, randomised, blind, Good Clinical Practice field trial 2 treatments against subclinical ileitis were evaluated. The trial involved 20 pens (440 pigs) with subclinical ileitis that were randomly assigned to two groups. One group received a feed supplemented with 85 ppm Tylvalosin daily for 10 days (group A) and the other one (group C) the same feed, supplemented with 100 ppm Tylosin daily for 21 days. From the beginning of treatment to slaughter (i.e. during the whole fattening period), the ADWG was 821 g in group A versus 788 g in group C (NS), and mortality was 7.3 per cent in group A versus. 5.0 per cent in group C (NS). The average age at slaughter was 194.3 days in group A versus 196.2 days in group C (p=0.045). The average percentage of lean meat at slaughter was 59.8 per cent in group A versus 59.2% in group C (p=0.025). In this trial, Tylvalosin (Aivlosin ® ) was effective when given for a short period at the start of the fattening period, at controlling subclinical ileitis. Compared with the positive control Tylosin, several significant improvements were recorded, including a 2 day reduction in age at slaughter, an improved growth homogeneity during fattening and a 0.6 point increase in the percentage of lean meat.