A field evaluation of two vaccines against Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection in pigs

BACKGROUND: A field trial was carried out with two Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccines in order to investigate the benefit of vaccination under field conditions in modern Danish pig production facilities with pigs being positive for M. hyopneumoniae. The M. hyopneumoniae infection of the herd was confirmed through blood samples that were positive for antibodies against M. hyopneumoniae combined with gross lesions of the lungs related to M. hyopneumoniae at slaughter and detection of M. hyopneumoniae by polymerace chain reaction in these lesions. RESULTS: A total of 2,256 pigs from two herds were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1 received 2 mL ThoroVAX(®)VET, Group 2 received 1 mL Ingelvac(®)MycoFLEX, and Group 3 was a non-vaccinated control group. The vaccination was performed by a person who was not involved in the rest of the trial and vaccination status thereby blinded to the evaluators. The prevalence of lung lesions related to M. hyopneumoniae were significantly lower for pigs vaccinated with ThoroVAX(®)VET but not for pigs vaccinated with Ingelvac(®)MycoFLEX(®), when compared to non-vaccinated pigs. There was no significant effect of vaccination on growth rate, antibiotic consumption or mortality. CONCLUSION: This trial demonstrated that vaccination with Thoro(®)VAX VET was effective in reducing the prevalence of lung lesion in pig units infected with M. hyopneumoniae.