a study of the effects of free-range housing in a herd of fattening pigs
Etterlin, Pernille Engelsen
(2016).
Osteochondrosis in pigs.
Diss. (sammanfattning/summary)
Uppsala :
Sveriges lantbruksuniv.,
Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae, 1652-6880
; 2016:50
ISBN 978-91-576-8602-2
eISBN 978-91-576-8603-9
[Doctoral thesis]
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Abstract
Osteochondrosis (OC) is a growth cartilage disease initiated by ischemia which causes a focal delay in the endochondral ossification. It is a common joint disorder in fattening pigs causing lameness and joint condemnation at slaughter. Another cause of lameness and joint condemnation in fatteners is Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae arthritis (ERA).
Pigs in organic production more often have joints condemned at slaughter than do pigs in conventional production. Outdoor access is mandatory in organic production, and the aim of this thesis was to examine whether a housing type that is common in organic production affects the prevalence of OC, ERA and joint condemnation at slaughter in fatteners. Fatteners were also scored for their gait to evaluate any association between lameness and OC, ERA and joint condemnation.
Post-mortem examination of joints showed that 95% of examined fatteners had OC. Pigs that could range freely indoors and had access to pasture and an outdoor paddock had more prevalent and more severe OC than did pigs confined to conventional small indoor pens. One explanation may be that free-range pigs are more active and receive more load on their joints, which may promote OC development. Pigs with many and severe OC lesions had their gait affected more than did pigs with less OC. Free-range pigs did, however, not show more lameness than confined housed pigs. Exercise strengthens muscles, tendons and bone tissue, which may render the free-range pigs less clinically affected by OC. A 100% seroprevalence of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was detected in both free-range and confined pigs, but no joints with ERA were diagnosed. The association between lameness and joint condemnations was poor, and the joint condemnation rate appears to be a bad assessment of joint health.
Computed tomography scans of hock joints in wild boars indicate that OC is rare in wild boars. As wild boars roam and are hunted, selection pressure may have favoured those with healthy joints that are well adapted to an active life. More research on wild boars and hybrids between domestic pigs and wild boars may help understand which features in domestic pigs need alteration to secure enhancement of their joint health.
In summary, changes in housing systems and a pig breed with more robust joints may be needed for a sustainable organic pork production.
| Authors/Creators: | Etterlin, Pernille Engelsen | ||||||||
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| Title: | Osteochondrosis in pigs | ||||||||
| Subtitle: | a study of the effects of free-range housing in a herd of fattening pigs | ||||||||
| Alternative abstract: |
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| Series/Journal: | Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae (1652-6880) | ||||||||
| Year of publishing : | May 2016 | ||||||||
| Depositing date: | 28 April 2016 | ||||||||
| Number: | 2016:50 | ||||||||
| Number of Pages: | 71 | ||||||||
| Papers/manuscripts: |
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| Place of Publication: | Uppsala | ||||||||
| Publisher: | Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences | ||||||||
| ISBN for printed version: | 978-91-576-8602-2 | ||||||||
| ISBN for electronic version: | 978-91-576-8603-9 | ||||||||
| ISSN: | 1652-6880 | ||||||||
| Language: | English | ||||||||
| Publication Type: | Doctoral thesis | ||||||||
| Full Text Status: | Public | ||||||||
| Agris subject categories.: | L Animal production > L73 Animal diseases | ||||||||
| Subjects: | (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 4 Agricultural Sciences > 403 Veterinary Science > Medical Bioscience (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 4 Agricultural Sciences > 403 Veterinary Science > Pathobiology | ||||||||
| Agrovoc terms: | swine, meat animals, sus scrofa, osteochondritis, erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, joints (body parts), locomotion, lameness, aetiology, animal housing, free range husbandry, organic husbandry, tomography, sweden | ||||||||
| Keywords: | pigs, fattening pigs, joints, osteochondrosis, lameness, free-range, housing, gait scoring, erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, computed tomography, pathology, wild boars | ||||||||
| URN:NBN: | urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-e-3405 | ||||||||
| Permanent URL: | http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-e-3405 | ||||||||
| ID Code: | 13316 | ||||||||
| Faculty: | VH - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science | ||||||||
| Department: | (VH) > Dept. of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health | ||||||||
| External funders: | Professor Gerhard Forssells Stipendiestiftelse and FORMAS and Stiftelsen Albert Hjärre-fonden | ||||||||
| Deposited By: | Pernille Engelsen Etterlin | ||||||||
| Deposited On: | 28 Apr 2016 11:25 | ||||||||
| Metadata Last Modified: | 10 Sep 2020 13:41 |
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