Swine Health Blackbelt #18 - How Lawsonia intracellularis shedding by sows affects herd health?

Lawsonia intracellularis, the bacteria that causes ileitis, leads to poor animal performance through poor feed conversion, and even mortality for pigs. That’s why it is a major concern for many pig producers across the globe. Therefore, it's essential to understand how sows contribute to maintaining Lawsonia in the farms. How does it happen? When does it happen? And how can we control the situation? In this episode, Rachel Patton and I discuss Lawsonia intracellularis shedding by sows on commercial farms, its effects on the litter, and what research to expect in the area. We also briefly discuss the Lawsonia vaccine's role in this scenario.

Meet the guest:

Rachel Patton completed her Bachelor's Degree in Zoology in 2018 and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) in 2022, both at The Ohio State University. She worked as a Veterinary Assistant at MedVet from 2019 to 2020, as an Intern at Boehringer Ingelheim in 2020, and completed an internship at Carthage in the summer of 2020.