How good management keeps disease at bay

A sharp rise in antibiotic usage on Danish pig farms highlights the importance of disease management following the 2022 zinc oxide ban, say researchers.

Due to be published in the July issue of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, the study by the National Food Institute tracked antimicrobial use (AMU) across Danish pig units in the months after zinc oxide was withdrawn.

It found that AMU in weaners increased by 17% on farms that had previously used zinc oxide and even farms that hadn’t used it saw a 19% rise – suggesting wider challenges linked to increased post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD) and pathogen pressure.

The study covered 45-70% of all Danish weaner pig farms annually, and up to 94% of finishing units. As well as piglet welfare, PWD has knock-on effect on growth rates, feed efficiency, and ultimately the economics of pig production.

Some farms reported big issues with piglet health. But others experienced little to no disruption – pointing to the importance of factors such as hygiene, housing, feeding and weaning management.

‘Sticking plaster’

Northern Europe livestock area manager Nigel Bennet, at biosecurity and hygiene specialists Roam Technology, says the impact of the zinc oxide ban is now being felt across many parts of Europe, including the UK.

“Zinc oxide almost acted like a sticky plaster – masking deeper issues in piglet health. Now that it’s gone, underlying problems such as post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD) are surfacing, and they’re proving difficult to manage,” he explains.

“What we’re finding is that controlling it now requires a much more holistic strategy. Hygiene is absolutely central to that – from farrowing accommodation right through to weaning accommodation.”

Farms that moved pigs between sites after weaning saw AMU in finishers increase by 29% on average. Where pigs were transferred between farms owned by different producers, antibiotic use in weaners rose by around 10%.

“Some units will be operating tight all-in/all-out protocols, while others may not. That inconsistency allows disease to creep in—and that’s where proper cleaning, disinfection, and pathogen reduction become vital tools.”

Interestingly, the study also found that farms with larger numbers of weaners tended to have lower AMU – likely due to greater investment in structured production flows and biosecurity infrastructure.

Partnership to strengthen poultry resilience

Rural insurer NFU Mutual has partnered with biosecurity experts Livetec Systems to help poultry producers better prepare disease outbreaks.

It follows a challenging winter of avian influenza outbreaks which saw flocks compulsorily housed. Government chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss has warned that poultry keepers must learn to live with the disease.

Data analysts at Livetec provide producers with accurate, farm-specific costings for cleaning and disinfection – crucial information that supports both proactive disease planning and accurate insurance cover.

These insights help producers reduce downtime, return to production faster and limit the financial impact of an avian flu outbreak, says Adam Williams, NFU Mutual’s animal disease portfolio manager.

“As one of the only insurers still offering avian flu cover in the UK, it’s vital we support poultry producers with the most up-to-date, actionable data to manage the financial risks of disease outbreaks,” he says.

Better planning

Commissioned by NFU Mutual, Livetec’s report draws on its operational data from handling recent avian flu outbreaks on UK farms, evolving legislation and input from the government’s Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA).

It details the cost of C&D and assumptions across a range of poultry production systems – enabling producers to better plan, meet regulatory requirements, and avoid unnecessary delays during recovery, explains Mr Williams.

“As biosecurity specialists, Livetec’s expertise is invaluable,” he says.

“Their input not only equips our agents with tools better inform producers, but also improves how we assess risk, calculate premiums, and ensure adequate protection.”

While the poultry sector benefits from strong biosecurity measures, highly pathogenic strains of avian flu remain a persistent threat. The partnership aims to support the sector’s ability to respond effectively and stay resilient.