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Show feirVJ I' P3JPACED BY ! Jfjfj-u AMIRICAM FOUNDATION FOR ANIMAL HEALTH 1 SWINE ERYSIPELAS IS VERY CONFUSING Swine erysipelas Is one of the irost difficult of all livestock diseases dis-eases to control, but there are Arched backs may signify cry ' slpclas. I several steps that can help to i check the heavy toll it is now taking on American farms. I The first point to remember is I that erysipelas may be confused i with other swine diseases. Because ! it is so easily confused with other maladies, and so highly contagious, conta-gious, It is vital that an accurate, dependable diagnosis be obtained at the flr3t sign of symptoms which look like this disease. Prevention seems to be the best answer to erysipelas. A "ery effective effec-tive vaccine has now been developed, devel-oped, which gives a high degree of immunity. In areas where the dljea.se has become a problem, pigs should be vaccinated as soon as possible after farrowing, because it often strikes them when they are only a few days old. Strict sanitary and quarantine measures must aL;o be put into effect quickly, or erysipelas may run through the entire herd and spread to other farms. These measures Include the isolation of affected hogs, prompt disposal' of the carcasses, and immediate cleaning and disinfecting of pens. In the acute form, erysipelas kills many hogs and makes others unprofitable for market. Symptoms Symp-toms include scaly and sloughing skin, swollen Joints, arched backs, lajncncss, high fever, and unwillingness unwil-lingness to move unless forcibly roused. Twenty years ago, swine erysipelas ery-sipelas had been reported in only half the states. Now it exists in nearly all states, and causes yearly year-ly losses running into the millions of dollars. |