VACCINATION of piglets as early as seven days of age is the best way to prevent enzootic pneumonia, according to Professor Stan Done, senior veterinary investigation officer, at the Veterinary Laboratory Agency at Thirsk, Yorkshire.

This disease results from an infection involving Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and with many producers still using continuous flow systems, UK farms have a high prevalence of Mycoplasma which builds up early in the nurseries and early finishing, according to Prof Done.

"The main burden of infection occurs at around four to eight weeks of age when maternal antibodies have disappeared and pits are moved, mixed and introduced to new sources of mycoplasma," he said.

He added: "Recent research has suggested that one infected pig during the nursery phase will infect at least one more pig during this period. These animals may then infect a large number of piglets during the finishing period. They are more than likely to remain infected throughout the finishing period and therefore remain a threat to the rest of the group of finishing pigs.