U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Food and Feed Safety Research: College Station, TX
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    CareersSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Plains Area College Station, Texas Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center Food and Feed Safety Research Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Harvey, Rogeritem
                                            EBERT, R - PLEASANT HILL ANIM CLINICitem
                                            Andrews, Kathleen

                                                         - *Kate*item
                                            Genovese, Kenneth

                                                         - *Ken*item
                                            Anderson, Robinitem
                                            Nisbet, David
  Submitted to: American Association of Swine Veterinarians Annual Meeting
                                    Publication Type: Proceedings
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 9/12/2002
                                    Publication  Date: 3/8/2003
                                    Citation: Harvey, R.B., Ebert, R.C., Andrews, K., Genovese, K.J., Anderson, R.C., Nisbet, D.J. 2003. Competitive exclusion culture reduces mortality from F-18 strain E. coli in nursery pigs-field trial results. Proceedings of American Association of Swine Veterinarians. p. 485-486.Interpretive Summary: Young weaned pigs can become sick and die from disease caused by E. coli bacteria. This bacteria causes major economic losses to the swine industry. Certain strains of E. coli are also of concern for food safety. We have shown in the laboratory that when a mixture of beneficial bacteria that occur normally in the gut of healthy pigs is administered to new born pigs, there is less disease and mortality from E. coli. This concept of disease prevention is known as competitive exclusion. The present field trials show that pigs in commercial swine operations can be protected from E. coli disease by competitive exclusion techniques.  If this technology becomes commercially available, it could help to significantly decrease losses in the swine industry.
                                Technical Abstract: Mortality and morbidity associated with Escherichia coli annually cause economic losses to the swine industry.  In NAHMS Swine 2000: Part II, colibacillosis was the most frequently reported disease in suckling pigs, and E. coli diarrhea was the third most prevalent disease listed for weaned pigs in the U.S.   Enterotoxigenic strains of E. coli affecting nursery-age pigs have become more difficult to treat due to increased antibiotic resistance.  Remediation strategies that are alternatives to antibiotics are currently being sought.  One intervention method that has gained attention is the use of competitive exclusion (CE) cultures to prevent or reduce colonization and shedding of Salmonella and E. coli.  Our laboratory developed a porcine-derived CE culture of known bacterial composition (designated RPCF) that protected young pigs from laboratory challenge with enterotoxigenic strains of E. coli.  The objective of the present study was to use a series of field trials to determine if RPCF could protect nursery-age pigs from a natural challenge from an F-18 strain of E. coli. Three nursery farms that had been diagnosed with a history of F-18 problems were selected for participation in field trials.  Nursery farms were supplied with weaned pigs (mean age = 17 d) from 8 sow units.  CE-treated piglets sent to each nursery farm were orally dosed in the farrowing barn with 2.0 ml (108 colony-forming-units/ml) of RPCF within 24 h of birth, approximately the same number of pigs on the same farms served as untreated controls, and mortality for both groups was monitored throughout the nursery period.  On Farm #1, CE treatment (n = 4900) reduced mortality and cull pigs by 0.80% (3.33%-2.54%) compared to untreated pigs (n = 6318); on Farm #2, mortality and culls in the CE group (n = 5045) were reduced by 6.7%  (9.07%-2.36%) compared to untreated (n = 3242); and on Farm #3, mortality and culls in the CE group (n = 3127) were reduced by 0.85% (3.30%-2.45%) compared to untreated (n = 3068).  When projected to an annual basis of 27,000 pigs/farm at $40/pig, this would mean 215 more pigs ($8,600) raised on Farm #1; 1810 pigs ($72,414) for Farm #2; and 230 pigs ($9,180) for Farm #3.  Antibiotic expenses were reduced by $0.11/pig ($2,970) on Farm #1, by $0.70/pig ($18,765) on Farm #2, and by $0.28/pig ($7,560) on Farm #3.  The results of this study suggest that CE treatments may control disease and mortality associated with F-18 strain of E. coli in nursery-age pigs.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov