[Studies of necrotizing enteritis of suckling piglets (Clostridium perfringens type C enterotoxemia) in industrialized sow breeding units. 5. Control of the disease].

Recent methods used and experience obtained in the control of necrotising enteritis are reported in this paper, with reference being made to both the pathogenesis and epizootiology of the disease. Two inoculations of the sows, using "Enterotoxämievakzine Dessau bivalent" five and three weeks before parturition, have worked well for prophylaxis. Oral treatment was applied to nursed piglets, using 40,000 I.U. of "Aviapen" and "V-Tablopen" penicillin per animal and day over periods between two and four days, helped to minimise piglet loss, particularly in the period between a fresh outbreak and full effectiveness of immunoprophylactic action. Such treatment was conducted metaphylactically and therapeutically. The first metaphylactic treatment was given within 24 hours from parturition. Combination of mother animal vaccination with the above therapeutic use of those two penicillin preparations worked extremely well in enzootically contaminated stocks and proved to be the most effective approach, for the time being, to controlling necrotising enteritis of nursed piglets. Yet, all those control measures failed to bring about full stock sanitation on industrialised units. Sow trading was not permitted until at least four weeks had elapsed from full effectiveness of mother animal vaccination, with the view to reducing the proliferation of Clostridium perfringens Type C via sales of breeding animals. All sows were given two "Enterotoxämievakzine Dessau bivalent" vaccinations, prior to sale. The animals were sold only to smaller farms (less than 500 sows for breeding) with concentional keeping patterns which were kept under constant diagnostic supervision. Neomycin, oxytetracycline, chloramphenicol, and other antibiotics against which Clostridium perfringens was resistant or in a position to assume resistance were used on endangered stocks only in conjunction with penicillin or not at all. This programme of control has proved to be efficient through a period of more than three years.