Part 3 - Swine Health and Nutrition Principles, with Dr. Clayton Johnson and Dr. Kyle Coble

Day 3 - Swine Health Principles

Enter... Dr. Clayton Johnson

“Swine Nutrition Principle #5: The Pig Doesn’t Lie

I once heard the late Dr. Dale Hendrickson say “Your client is the pig, keep the pig happy and you’ll keep everybody happy”.  That wisdom has served me well in my career – when you have competing requests from owners, production managers, farm managers and farm technicians focus back on the pig.  What is the pig telling you is the problem?  As we evaluate the efficacy of our health program, I always go back to the foundational concept that “The pig doesn’t lie”.  Everything else in pig production can lie to me – my controller can give me back readings on barn temperature and ventilation, the water consumption can be read at different times throughout the day resulting in inaccurate estimates of water consumption over 24 hours, the caretakers may make a mistake as they give me the history can background of a particular case, the diagnostic lab can have false positive or negative results – Everything else in pig production can lie to me, but the pig never lies. 

How do we listen to the pig?  First, you must have excellent observation skills.  Observation skills start with focus and a consistent approach to your evaluation.  Focus on executing your evaluation in a systematic manner.  When you drive onto the farm, look at the exterior in a consistent manner.  Before you enter the pig space, review the ventilation settings in a consistent manner.  Once your in the pig space have a consistent process for checking the feed, water and air.  Only then do you begin to observe the pigs.  Start slowing and stay in the alley – pigs are prey animals and they know you are a predator, they will change their behavior and initiate the “fight or flight” response as soon as you enter the pen.  What is the activity level of the pigs?  Are they bright, alert and responsive?  Is the laying pattern appropriate?  Do you see clinical signs of disease such as nasal discharge, thumping, swollen joints or diarrhea?  Is the body condition indicative of chronic disease situations?  Once you’ve made some general population level observations move into the pen, move the pigs around the pen in a consistent manner.  I like to push the pigs to the back of the pen as I enter, then stand at the feeder (generally located about halfway into the pen) and slowly move toward the pigs, letting them run by me one by one as I make individual animal observations.  Sick and dead pigs should be necropsied to further this investigation process – again by consistent and systematic in your observations.  What gross lesions are present?  Are the organs appropriate shape and size?  What patterns do I see across multiple pigs?

As a veterinarian we are always asked to give our diagnosis which leads to an intervention plan.  The quality of our intervention plan is 100% dependent upon the quality of our diagnosis so we have to get that correct.  Remember the veterinarian makes the diagnosis, not anybody or anything else.  There are times where the history and signalment described by the caretakers doesn’t at all match what the pigs are telling you – trust that the pig doesn’t lie.  There are times the diagnostic results don’t match the clinical signs you observe – trust that the pig doesn’t lie.  Know you will make mistakes – there is a reason they call it the “practice” of veterinary medicine.  Always listening to the pig above all other sources of evidence - particularly when there are inconsistencies across the available evidence – will position you to make the best possible diagnosis and subsequently, the best possible intervention plan.

Day 3 - Swine Nutrition Principles

Enter… Dr. Kyle Coble 

“Swine Nutrition Principle #7:Take it back to the basics

If you get the big things right, like energy, feed budgets, lysine, etc. you will be 90% correct in your approach. Don’t lose focus of the most important things that at the end of the day drive cost and performance. 

Swine Nutrition Principle #8: Spend time on the high return projects

Every supplier is looking to do a research project with you in your facility. No matter what you think, you don’t have time for many of those and may not have time for any of them. However, utilize the colleagues in your system and business to help you prioritize what products or techniques have the greatest chance of giving your business the highest return. 

Swine Nutrition Principle #9: Right feed, right place, right time

While formulation is important, none of it matters if this doesn’t happen. At first glance, this may get pushed to the side as production systems believe they have this perfect. Take a closer look and really understand how accurate your system is at this. There are dollars per head left in this area of production every day. It is free money, and many nutritionists will chase 10 different items to get returns that this process can handle. You will need to learn your system and production to have an impact on this. You will also be surprised of how many people influence this (e.g. starting inventories turned into the feed desk by producers or production staff).

Swine Nutrition Principle #10: Nutrient loadings are everything

You must have accurate nutrient loadings on your ingredients at all times. This takes time and is not always fun. But it most likely will be the most important work you do all week. Do it right, don’t cut corners, and make sure you type the numbers correctly."