Animal Health Discourse during Ecological Crises in the Media-Lessons Learnt from the Flood in Thessaly from the One Health Perspective.

Due to the increasing risk of extreme events caused by climate change (i.e., floods, fires and hurricanes) or wars, European veterinary public health may need some improvement. Utilizing a mix of qualitative (participatory observation) and quantitative methods (Internet mining), we analyzed the Greek media's responses to the millennial flood in Thessaly (September 2023), focusing on animal health (including wild, companion animals and livestock) and public sentiment towards epizootic/epidemic threats. The study revealed a gap in crisis management plans regarding veterinary-related issues, emphasizing the need for comprehensive emergency response strategies. Our findings show how (i) the lay referral system is projecting the perception of epidemic threats into the population; (ii) the emotional load of images of animal carcasses is misused by media creators aiming for a big audience; and (iii) pets' owners are creating online communities for the searching and treatment of their pets. Our results stress the importance of integrating crisis communication in consecutive phases of the discourse, such as the following: (i) weather change; (ii) acute flood; (iii) recovery; and (iv) outbreaks, into veterinary practices to better prepare for such disasters.

Effects of a Curcumin/Silymarin/Yeast-Based Mycotoxin Detoxifier on Redox Status and Growth Performance of Weaned Piglets under Field Conditions.

The aim of this in vivo study was to investigate the effects of a novel mycotoxin detoxifier whose formulation includes clay (bentonite and sepiolite), phytogenic feed additives (curcumin and silymarin) and postbiotics (yeast products) on the health, performance and redox status of weaned piglets under the dietary challenge of fumonisins (FUMs). The study was conducted in duplicate in the course of two independent trials on two different farms. One hundred and fifty (150) weaned piglets per trial farm were allocated into two separate groups: (a) T1 (control group): 75 weaned piglets received FUM-contaminated feed and (b) T2 (experimental group): 75 weaned piglets received FUM-contaminated feed with the mycotoxin-detoxifying agent from the day of weaning (28 days) until 70 days of age. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARSs), protein carbonyls (CARBs) and the overall antioxidant capacity (TAC) were assessed in plasma as indicators of redox status at 45 and 70 days of age. Furthermore, mortality and performance parameters were recorded at 28, 45 and 70 days of age, while histopathological examination was performed at the end of the trial period (day 70). The results of the present study reveal the beneficial effects of supplementing a novel mycotoxin detoxifier in the diets of weaners, including improved redox status, potential hepatoprotective properties and enhanced growth performance.

Assessment of the effect of long-term serum storage for retrospective serologic diagnosis of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis).

There is currently sparse information on the possible effect of long-term storage of serum specimens for the retrospective serodiagnosis of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME). The aim of this study was to assess the agreement between the original serologic outcome and the results of a repeat indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) assay for the detection of IgG antibodies against E. canis. A secondary aim was to compare the diagnostic performance of two commercially available point-of-care (POC) immunochromatographic (IC) assays. Archived serum samples originally tested as positive (n=66) or negative (n=19) for E. canis IgG antibodies and kept frozen at -20°C for a median of 22 years, were retrospectively examined by IFA and by two POC IC assays. Cohen's Kappa coefficient (0.748, p < 0.0001), indicated a substantial agreement between the original and repeat serologic testing results. An almost identical high sensitivity and moderate specificity were established for the two POC IC assays. Canine serum specimens on long-term storage may still be of value for seroepidemiologic surveys investigating the exposure to E. canis.

Review state-of-the-art of output-based methodological approaches for substantiating freedom from infection.

A wide variety of control and surveillance programmes that are designed and implemented based on country-specific conditions exists for infectious cattle diseases that are not regulated. This heterogeneity renders difficult the comparison of probabilities of freedom from infection estimated from collected surveillance data. The objectives of this review were to outline the methodological and epidemiological considerations for the estimation of probabilities of freedom from infection from surveillance information and review state-of-the-art methods estimating the probabilities of freedom from infection from heterogeneous surveillance data. Substantiating freedom from infection consists in quantifying the evidence of absence from the absence of evidence. The quantification usually consists in estimating the probability of observing no positive test result, in a given sample, assuming that the infection is present at a chosen (low) prevalence, called the design prevalence. The usual surveillance outputs are the sensitivity of surveillance and the probability of freedom from infection. A variety of factors influencing the choice of a method are presented; disease prevalence context, performance of the tests used, risk factors of infection, structure of the surveillance programme and frequency of testing. The existing methods for estimating the probability of freedom from infection are scenario trees, Bayesian belief networks, simulation methods, Bayesian prevalence estimation methods and the STOC free model. Scenario trees analysis is the current reference method for proving freedom from infection and is widely used in countries that claim freedom. Bayesian belief networks and simulation methods are considered extensions of scenario trees. They can be applied to more complex surveillance schemes and represent complex infection dynamics. Bayesian prevalence estimation methods and the STOC free model allow freedom from infection estimation at the herd-level from longitudinal surveillance data, considering risk factor information and the structure of the population. Comparison of surveillance outputs from heterogeneous surveillance programmes for estimating the probability of freedom from infection is a difficult task. This paper is a 'guide towards substantiating freedom from infection' that describes both all assumptions-limitations and available methods that can be applied in different settings.

Estimates of sensitivity and specificity of serological tests for SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies using a Bayesian latent class model approach.

OBJECTIVES: Assessing the accuracy of serological tests for SARS-CoV-2 was challenging due to the lack of a gold standard. This study aimed to estimate the accuracy of SARS-CoV-2-specific serological tests using Bayesian latent class models (BLCM) and compare methods with and without a gold standard. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: In this study, we analyzed 356 samples-254 positives, ie, from individuals with a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosis, and 102 negatives, ie, prepandemic samples-using six different rapid serological tests and one laboratory assay. A BLCM was employed to concurrently estimate the sensitivity and specificity of all serological tests for the immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG antibodies specific for SARS-CoV-2. Noninformative priors were used. A sensitivity analysis was conducted considering three methods: 1) reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test (RT-PCR) as the gold standard, 2) BLCM with RT-PCR as an imperfect gold standard, and 3) frequentist latent class model (LCM). All analyses used software R version 4.3.0, and BLCM were fitted using package runjags using the software JAGS (Just Another Gibbs Sampler). RESULTS: The BLCM-derived sensitivity for IgM varied from 10.7% [95% credibility interval (CrI):1.9-24.6] to 96.9% (95% CrI: 91.0-100.0), with specificities ranging from 48.3% (95% CrI: 39.0-57.6) to 98.9% (95% CrI: 96.2-100.0). Sensitivity for IgG varied between 76.9% (95% CrI: 68.2-84.7) and 99.1% (95% CrI: 96.1-100.0), and specificity ranged from 49.9% (95% CrI: 19.4-95.8) to 99.3% (95% CrI: 97.2-100.0). LCM results were comparable to BLCM. Considering the RT-PCR as a gold standard underestimated the tests' sensitivity, particularly for IgM. CONCLUSION: BLCM-derived results deviated from those using a gold standard, which underestimated the tests' characteristics, particularly sensitivity. Although Bayesian and frequentist LCM approaches yielded comparable results, BLCM had the benefit of enabling credibility interval computation even when sample power is limited.

Real-world evidence of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis in Serbia: Nation-wide observational study (2017-2019).

BACKGROUND: Rabies remains a deadly zoonotic disease, primarily prevalent in Eastern European countries, with a significant global burden in Asia and Africa. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is critical to prevent clinical rabies. Serbia, a country with a relatively low animal rabies incidence, has been implementing a 4-dose Essen PEP regimen for 13 years. This real-world study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the 4-dose Essen regimen, considering demographic and clinical factors, after WHO Category III exposure. METHOD: The study included 601 patients who received the 4-dose Essen PEP and 79 who received an additional 5th dose. RESULTS: Age emerged as a critical factor influencing seroconversion rates after the 4-dose regimen, with older individuals exhibiting lower RVNA titers. Logistic regression indicated a 3.18% decrease in seroconversion odds for each added year of age. The Cox proportional hazards mixed model highlighted age-related risks, with age groups 45-60 and 75-92 at the highest risk of non-seroconversion. Human Rabies Immune Globulin (HRIG) administration was associated with lower RVNA values after the 4-dose regimen, suggesting interference with vaccine immunogenicity among people who received larger doses of HRIG. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides valuable real-world evidence for rabies PEP in a non-homogeneous population with potential comorbidities. The results underscore the importance of optimizing PEP strategies, particularly in older individuals, and reconsidering HRIG dosing to improve seroconversion rates.

Early warning of potential epidemics: A pilot application of an early warning tool to data from the pulmonary clinic of the university hospital of Thessaly, Greece.

BACKGROUND & METHODS: This paper describes a pilot application of the Epidemic Volatility Index (EVI) to data from the pulmonary clinic of the University Hospital of Thessaly, Greece, for monitoring respiratory infections, COVID-19, and flu cases. EVI, a simple and easily implemented early warning method based on the volatility of newly reported cases, exhibited consistent and stable performance in detecting new waves of epidemics. The study highlights the importance of implementing early warning tools to address the effects of epidemics, including containment of outbreaks, timely intervention strategies, and resource allocation within real-world clinical settings as part of a broader public health strategy. RESULTS: The results presented in the figures demonstrate the association between successive early warnings and the onset of new waves, providing valuable insights for proactive decision-making. A web-based application enabling real-time monitoring and informed decision-making by healthcare professionals, public health officials, and policymakers was developed. CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasizes the significant role of early warning methods in managing epidemics and safeguarding public health. Future research may explore extensions and combinations of multiple warning systems for optimal outbreak interventions and application of the methods in the context of personalized medicine.

Bayesian true prevalence estimation of brucellosis in sheep, goats, cattle and camels in southeast regions of Iran.

AIMS AND METHODS: Brucellosis is worldwide one of the most prevalent zoonotic diseases with serious public health hazard affecting domestic livestock and causing economic losses. Objective of this study is to estimate the true prevalence of brucellosis in livestock, specifically cattle, sheep, goats and camels, using a novel Bayesian latent class model, adjusting for the imperfect sensitivity and specificity of the applied tests, where the second test was restricted only to first test-positive samples. RESULTS: Brucellosis seems more prevalent in goats and sheep, while the posterior medians and 95% probability intervals (95% PI) for the average true prevalence for sheep, goats, cattle and camels are 18% (4%-43%), 19% (7%-37%), 16% (5%-34%) and 18% (1%-48%) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The study results indicate that brucellosis is highly endemic in Iran and crucial steps are needed to control and raise awareness about the high public health concern of the disease.

Evidence of tick-borne encephalitis virus neutralizing antibodies in Serbian individuals exposed to tick bites.

Introduction: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an emerging vector-borne and food-borne disease caused by the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV; Orthoflavivirus encephalitidis), with a distribution spanning the Eurasian continent. Despite its significant public health impact in various European regions, TBE remains largely underdiagnosed in Serbia due to limited awareness and diagnostic challenges. In response to this, our study aimed to comprehensively assess TBEV exposure in individuals infested with ticks and to identify potential TBEV foci within Serbia. Materials and methods: From 2019 to 2021, we conducted an observational study involving 450 patients who reported tick infestations. Results: Our demographic analysis revealed a median age of 38 years, with a slight male predominance among the participants. We documented tick infestations in 38 municipalities across 14 districts of Serbia, with a notable concentration in proximity to Fruska Gora Mountain. The ticks most frequently removed were Ixodes ricinus, with nymphs and adult females being the predominant stages. On average, nymphs were removed after about 27.1 hours of feeding, while adult females remained attached for approximately 44.4 hours. Notably, we found age as a significant predictor of infestation time for both nymphs and adult females. Furthermore, we detected TBEV-neutralizing antibodies in 0.66% of the serum samples, shedding light on potential TBEV foci, particularly in Fruska Gora Mountain and other regions of Serbia. Conclusion: Our study emphasizes the urgent need for active TBE surveillance programs, especially in areas suspected of hosting TBEV foci, in order to assess the true TBE burden, identify at-risk populations, and implement effective preventive measures.

Seroprevalence of Swine Influenza A Virus (swIAV) Infections in Commercial Farrow-to-Finish Pig Farms in Greece.

Swine influenza is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by influenza A virus infection. Pigs play an important role in the overall epidemiology of influenza because of their ability to transmit influenza viruses of avian and human origin, which plays a potential role in the emergence of zoonotic strains with pandemic potential. The aim of our study was to assess the seroprevalence of Swine Influenza Viruses (swIAVs) in commercial pig farms in Greece. A total of 1416 blood samples were collected from breeding animals (gilts and sows) and pigs aged 3 weeks to market age from 40 different swIAV vaccinated and unvaccinated commercial farrow-to-finish pig farms. For the detection of anti-SIV antibodies, sera were analyzed using an indirect ELISA kit CIVTEST SUIS INFLUENZA®, Hipra (Amer, Spain). Of the total 1416 animals tested, 498 were seropositive, indicating that the virus circulates in both vaccinated (54% seroprevalence) and unvaccinated Greek pig farms (23% seroprevalence). In addition, maternally derived antibody (MDA) levels were lower in pigs at 4 and 7 weeks of age in unvaccinated farms than in vaccinated farms. In conclusion, our results underscore the importance of vaccination as an effective tool for the prevention of swIAV infections in commercial farrow-to-finish pig farms.

Factors affecting the differential epithelial cell count in preputial cytology of healthy intact dogs.

Information is limited on the factors that may affect the preputial differential epithelial cell count in healthy intact dogs. Our objectives were to establish RIs of the preputial differential epithelial cell count in dogs and investigate the potential impact of signalment, presence of gross preputial discharge or neutrophils, preputial cleaning, and normal estrogen variation on the differential cell count. We enrolled prospectively 50 client-owned, healthy dogs in our study. Preputial cytology smears were obtained, and we performed a 4-part (parabasal, intermediate, superficial, cornified) differential cell count, before and after gentle preputial cleaning. We found higher counts of fully cornified cells (median: 11-12%) compared to previous studies. The cleaning procedure significantly decreased the intermediate (p = 0.002) and increased the superficial (p = 0.006) cells. Age was positively associated with intermediate (p = 0.007) and negatively with superficial (p = 0.01) and cornified (p = 0.02) cells. The concentration of estrogens was negatively associated with the percentage of parabasal cells (p = 0.04). In healthy dogs, a variable impact may be expected in the preputial differential epithelial cell count, by the cleaning of the prepuce before sampling, the age of the dogs, and the normal variation of estrogen concentration.

Histopathological Pulmonary Lesions in 1st-Day Newborn Piglets Derived from PRRSV-1 MLV Vaccinated Sows at the Last Stage of Gestation.

Modified live virus (MLV) vaccines for the control of porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) have been associated with the vertical and horizontal transmission of vaccine viruses. The present study aimed to describe pathological lung lesions in piglets born by gilts vaccinated with PRRSV-1 MLV. In total, 25 gilts were vaccinated at late gestation (100th day) and were divided into five groups according to the different vaccines (Vac) used: no vaccine-control group, Vac-1-strain DV, Vac-2-strain VP-046 BIS, Vac-3-strain 94881, Vac-4-strain 96V198. Within the first 0-9 h of the farrowing, blood samples were collected from all newborn piglets and lung samples were exanimated grossly, histopathologically and with scanning electron microscopy. PRRSV (RT-PCR-positive) and antibodies were detected in the serum of piglets from gilts vaccinated with Vac-2. In these piglets, moderate to severe interstitial pneumonia with thickened alveolar septa was noticed. Type II pneumocyte hyperplasia was also observed. The rest of the trial piglets showed unremarkable lung lesions. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the 98.7% similarity of the PRRSV field strain (GR 2019-1) to the PRRS MLV vaccine strain VP-046 BIS. In conclusion, the Vac-2 PRRSV vaccine strain can act as an infectious strain when vaccination is administrated at late gestation, causing lung lesions.

Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus and Borrelia burgdorferi Seroprevalence in Balkan Tick-Infested Individuals: A Two-Centre Study.

Lyme borreliosis (LB) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) are important tick-borne diseases in Europe. This study aimed to investigate the seroreactivity against Borrelia burgdorferi and TBE virus (TBEV) in tick-infested individuals in North Macedonia and Serbia. Serum samples were collected from tick-infested individuals and from healthy individuals in the same regions. Samples were tested for anti-Borrelia IgG reactivity and TBEV-neutralizing antibodies. Results showed higher seroreactivity against Borrelia antigens in patients and healthy donors from Novi Sad compared to those from the Skopje region. However, there was no statistically significant difference between tick-infested patients and healthy donors within each region. No TBEV-neutralizing antibodies were detected in participants from Novi Sad or in the control groups, except for one person from North Macedonia who had a moderate TBEV-neutralizing reaction. The study highlights the need for improved surveillance and diagnostic capabilities for LB and TBE in these regions. It also suggests the potential existence of TBEV foci in North Macedonia. The findings provide a complementary understanding of the LB and TBE epidemiology in the studied regions; however, further research is needed to investigate the presence and distribution of Borrelia spp. and TBEV in ticks to assess the significance of detected seroreactivity.

The convergence epidemic volatility index (cEVI) as an alternative early warning tool for identifying waves in an epidemic.

This manuscript introduces the convergence Epidemic Volatility Index (cEVI), a modification of the recently introduced Epidemic Volatility Index (EVI), as an early warning tool for emerging epidemic waves. cEVI has a similar architectural structure as EVI, but with an optimization process inspired by a Geweke diagnostic-type test. Our approach triggers an early warning based on a comparison of the most recently available window of data samples and a window based on the previous time frame. Application of cEVI to data from the COVID-19 pandemic data revealed steady performance in predicting early, intermediate epidemic waves and retaining a warning during an epidemic wave. Furthermore, we present two basic combinations of EVI and cEVI: (1) their disjunction cEVI + that respectively identifies waves earlier than the original index, (2) their conjunction cEVI- that results in higher accuracy. Combination of multiple warning systems could potentially create a surveillance umbrella that would result in early implementation of optimal outbreak interventions.

Detection of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Clostridia in the Aetiology of Neonatal Piglet Diarrhoea: Important Factors for Their Prevention.

This study aimed to research the involvement of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and C. difficile or C. perfringens type C in the aetiology of neonatal piglet diarrhoea in Greece and to identify preventive factors for them. A total of 78 pooled faecal samples were collected randomly from 234 suckling piglets (1-4 days of age) with diarrhoea from 26 pig farms (3 piglets × 3 litters × 26 farms = 234 piglets = 78 faecal pool samples). The collected samples were initially screened for the presence of E. coli and C. difficile or C. perfringens via cultivation on MacConkey and anaerobic blood agar, respectively. Subsequently, the samples were pooled on ELUTE cards. From samples tested, 69.23% of those in the farms were ETEC F4-positive, 30.77% were ETEC F5-positive, 61.54% ETEC were F6-positive, 42.31% were ETEC F4- and E. coli enterotoxin LT-positive, 19.23% were ETEC F5- and LT-positive, 42.31% were ETEC F6- and LT-positive, while LT was found in 57.69% of those in the farms. C. difficile was involved in many cases and identified as an emerging neonatal diarrhoea etiological agent. Specifically, Toxin A of C. difficile was found in 84.62% and Toxin B in 88.46% of those in the farms. Antibiotic administration to sows in combination with probiotics or acidifiers was revealed to reduce the detection of antigens of ETEC and the enterotoxin LT of E. coli.

Evaluation of porcine circovirus type 2 double vaccination in weaning piglets that reared for gilts under field conditions.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of a porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) double vaccination in weaning piglets reared for gilts under field conditions. The study was conducted at a Greek farrow-to-finish conventional pig farm with a previous history of PCV2 infections. The trial included 96 female piglets at 21 days of age, which were equally allocated to two different study groups. Piglets of the group-1 received a single PCV2 vaccination at 21 days of age, while piglets of the group-2 were double vaccinated against PCV2, at 21 and 42 days of age. The results indicated that the piglets of group-2 had better growth performance, as they showed higher body weight (BW) and average daily weight gain (ADWG). In addition, ELISA tests showed that the double- vaccinated piglets presented a better humoral response against PCV2, as higher levels of IgG antibodies were detected in them than the piglets of the group-1. In conclusion, the current results suggested that a double PCV2 vaccination of piglets, reared for gilts, on a PCV2-affected farm could lead to higher protection against the virus.

Clinical and Clinicopathologic Discriminators Between Canine Acute Monocytic Ehrlichiosis and Primary Immune Thrombocytopenia.

Acute canine monocytic ehrlichiosis due to Ehrlichia canis (aCME), and primary immune thrombocytopenia (pITP) are major differentials for dogs presented with thrombocytopenia, and the two diseases may clinically overlap. The aim of this study was to compare dogs diagnosed with naturally occurring aCME and pITP, to establish potentially useful clinical and clinicopathologic discriminators. A clinical record-based retrospective study was performed in 35 dogs diagnosed with aCME and 29 dogs with pITP. Dogs with aCME were significantly younger, and were more likely to experience depression or lethargy, anorexia, body weight loss, fever, lymphadenomegaly, tick infestation, and ocular discharge on admission, compared to dogs with pITP. In contrast, dogs with pITP presented more frequently with overt bleeding and had a significantly higher bleeding score compared to dogs with aCME. Dogs with aCME were more likely to be anemic and hypoalbuminemic on presentation compared to dogs with pITP. Dogs with pITP had higher white blood cell and neutrophil counts as well as lower platelet counts than dogs with aCME and were more likely to present with leukocytosis, neutrophilia and monocytosis. These clinical, hematological, and biochemical findings may be helpful discriminators between aCME and pITP, on the understanding that they will be interpreted in the context of disease-specific testing.

Corrigendum: Overview of Cattle Diseases Listed Under Category C, D or E in the Animal Health Law for Which Control Programmes Are in Place Within Europe.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.688078.].

Evaluation of the sensitivity and specificity of three diagnostic tests for Coxiella burnetii infection in cattle and buffaloes in Punjab (India) using Bayesian latent class analysis.

Q Fever is a zoonotic disease of significant animal and public health concern, caused by Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii), an obligate intracellular bacterium. This study was done to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) and diagnostic specificity (DSp) of three diagnostic methods to diagnose C. burnetii infection in cattle and buffaloes in Punjab, India: an indirect ELISA method applied in serum samples and a trans-Polymerase Chain Reaction (trans-PCR) technique applied in milk samples and genital swabs, using a Bayesian latent class analysis. Conditional independence was assumed between the tests, given (i) the different biological principle of ELISA and trans-PCR and (ii) the fact that the trans-PCR was performed on different tissues. The ELISA method in the serum samples showed the highest DSe of 0.97 (95% Probability Intervals (PIs): 0.93; 0.99) compared to the trans-PCR method applied in milk samples 0.76 (0.63; 0.87) and genital swabs 0.73 (0.58; 0.85). The DSps of all tests were high, with trans-PCR in genital swabs recording the highest DSp of 0.99 (0.98; 1), while the DSp of trans-PCR in milk samples and ELISA in serum samples were 0.97 (0.95; 0.99) and 0.95 (0.93; 0.97) respectively. The study results show that none of the applied tests are perfect, therefore, a testing regimen based on the diagnostic characteristic of the tests may be considered for diagnosis of C. burnetii.

Evaluation of an on-farm method to assess colostrum IgG content in hyperprolific sows.

The colostrum quality (immunoglobulin content) is one of the most challenging aspects for hyperprolific sows in the modern pig industry. The objective of this study was to evaluate relationships among sow body condition scores, litter characteristics, and colostrum IgG content in hyperprolific sows, using a digital Brix refractometer to measure IgG. Samples (5 ml) were collected from two hundred and eighty-seven sows within the first hour postpartum. Sow parameters and back fat thickness at farrowing (BFF) and weaning (BFW) were recorded. The results indicate a positive correlation between parity and IgG, as well as BFF and BFW. A negative correlation was found between the number of weaning piglets and BFW. Moreover, a positive correlation was observed between the number of mummified piglets and colostrum IgG. Finally, lactation duration was positively associated with BFF. In conclusion, the number of mummified piglets is a factor positively associated with colostrum IgG content in hyperprolific sows.