GD Animal Health has the unique opportunity to combine advanced laboratory testing, specialized pathology and practical veterinary knowledge. A good example of what this means in practice is GD’s monitoring and consultancy project together with the large Finnish cooperative for pig farmers, HK Agri. This has already resulted in greater insight and more practical advice to pig farmers.

Once a year, a group of 21 large pig farms in Finland submit serum samples of sows, weaned piglets and finishers (or rearing gilts) to GD. These samples are tested for antibodies against App, Influenza, PIA/Ileitis and PCV2. Drinking water is tested on different ions, chemical elements, hardness and acidity (pH). An extended checklist is used to asses housing, indoor climate, feeding and health care and to record clinical symptoms like diarrhoea and coughing. Finally, slaughterhouse information and technical results are collected.

The technical results of the sow farms are converted to financial figures in comparison with the results in the top 25% of the HK Agri farms and in comparison with the results of the previous period. Figures on litter size, for example, and pregnancy rate are converted to euros to demonstrate more clearly the weak and strong aspects of a farm.

All information from the farms is aggregated by a veterinarian of GD’s pig-health department. The integrated information is then summarized and converted into practical recommendations in consultation with the veterinary advisor of the Finnish farms.

For more information about this project, please click here to read the article in the GD Update.