Pig Mortality and Disease Incidences at a Large Scale Farm in Southern Highlands of Tanzania

Abstract

A study was carried out at Mbarali Rice Farm's piggery unit In Mbeya Region, Tanzania with the aim to reveal magnitude of death rates in pigs as influenced by age month and year. Also it was intended to rank major killer diseases/conditions occurring at the farm. Overall death rates among piglets, weaners, growers and the whole herd were 6.3, 3.2, 1.1 and 3.1 percent, respectively. When calculated on herd basis the respective death rates for the first three age groups were 1.9, 0.7 and 0.5 percent. There was no apparent seasonal incidence in death rates. Highest death tolls were caused by (in descending order) overlaying, diarrhoea, pneumonia, weakness of unknown cause and abortions. Other important diseases/conditions were still-births, nutritional problems, cannibalism and trauma. There were more incidences of abortion among sows (68.7 percent) than among gilts (41.3 percent).