Farmscape for May 19, 2020

The Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network has launched a survey to help learn more about the frequency of an unusual condition in sows.
The Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network's just released clinical impression survey for the first quarter of 2020 indicates, while the overall health status of the region's swine improved significantly in the first quarter, there were reports of an unusual condition in weaned sows that has been labelled as purple sows.
CWSHIN Manager Dr. Jette Christensen says we don't know exactly what purple sow is and we especially don't know what causes it.

Clip-Dr. Jette Christensen-Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network:
What we see is sows that have purple discoloured patches down along the legs and on the belly.
We had one case that we discussed.
This condition started right after weaning.
It was generally first and second parity sows.
The condition resolved itself after about a week.
The case that we discussed was in a loose housing sow unit with about three thousand sows and they had approximately 30 weaned sows affected with these purple patches or rashes.
The sows seemed otherwise okay.
They had normal appetite and they recovered.
In the piglets there were no signs in this particular case.
There was some laboratory testing done to try and find out what the cause would be but there was no definitive answer.
There was no pathogens or bacteria or viruses found that could explain these purple patches or rashes.

There have been rumours of rare cases of these purple sows on other farms.
Dr. Christensen says, to learn more about the frequency and the effect of this condition, pork producers and veterinarians are being asked to participate in a survey which can be accessed through a link at CWSHIN.ca.
For more visit Farmscape.Ca.
Bruce Cochrane.

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