Online Ahead of Print
Articles online ahead of print are accepted, peer-reviewed articles that have not yet been assigned to a volume/issue of Journal of Swine Health and Production (JSHAP), but are citable using the article DOI. When an article is assigned to a volume/issue, the online ahead of print version will be removed from this page and the final version will appear in the associated published volume/issue of JSHAP. The DOI and the date an article was first made available online will be carried over.
Ergotism in an organic sow herd and the impact on lactation performance and subsequent reproductive performance
Katrina Senatra, Tara Gaab, Meghann Pierdon
Abstract
Ergot alkaloids (EA) are produced by fungi, including Claviceps purpurea, which can lead to EA contamination of wheat and cereal grains and cause sow agalactia by inhibiting prolactin production. In this case of sow agalactia and increased piglet mortality, a diagnosis of ergotism was made based on clinical signs and feed analysis. The lactation diet had EA at 330 ppb and was fed to sows for 12 to 14 days resulting in 79% (50%) mean (SD) mortality in exposed litters. Ergot alkaloid levels as low as 0.33 mg/kg of feed (0.33 ppm) may result in clinical signs in lactating sows.
Received date: April 30, 2024
Accepted date: September 14, 2024
Published online date: January 16, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54846/jshap/1408