EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL SANITATION AND DISINFECTION MEASURES APPLICABLE FOR ANTIBIOTIC-FREE PIG PRODUCTION
Date
2023-07-13
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
0009-0004-3655-7908
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
Implementation of antibiotic-free production practices in pig barns to mitigate the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has led to reported increase in the occurrence of certain pathogens in the barn environment. One potential solution to address this issue is to develop improved sanitization and disinfection procedures to prevent the occurrence of increased pathogen prevalence and to eliminate or significantly reduce the exposure of pigs to potential antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. Hence, this study aimed to investigate alternative sanitization and disinfection procedures to reduce the prevalence of pathogens in pig production. Based on screening using developed assessment criteria (i.e., applicability, intrinsic property, cost and safety) and laboratory-scale tests, the application of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) and peracetic acid (PAA) were selected for further evaluation under in-barn conditions. In the barn tests, the surviving microbial population on different types of surfaces such as concrete (flooring), metal (drinkers), plastic (pens), and wood (partitions) in grow-finish, nursery, and farrowing rooms were assessed at various time points to compare the effectiveness of the selected treatments relative to a control treatment (conventional disinfectant). Based on the evaluation, the performance of PAA and SAEW was comparable to conventional disinfectants (Virkon) in grow-finish and farrowing rooms. Results also showed longer effectivity of PAA and SAEW compared to Virkon, up to 24 h after application, while the difference in the performance of the disinfectants tested in nursery rooms was largely influenced by the reduced efficacy of all treatments on rough surfaces like concrete. This study indicated that SAEW and PAA solutions could be a better alternative to conventional disinfectants. Economic analysis showed that PAA and SAEW increase the overall cost of disinfectant used per market pig by about 17 to 19%, resulting in $0.81 and $0.84 per market pig per cycle compared to Virkon with $0.675; this can be compensated by its better effectiveness against a broad spectrum of disease-causing microorganisms and prolonged reactivity over time. The present research will augment the biosecurity tools available to pig producers, particularly those who adopted antibiotic-free production practices, to mitigate the impact of restrictions on the use of antibiotics.
Description
Keywords
Animal buildings, Antibiotic-free pig production, Disinfection measures, Pathogen control
Citation
Degree
Master of Science (M.Sc.)
Department
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Program
Biological Engineering