Haemorrhagic enteriris - Atlas of swine pathology

Where:

Possible causes: Clostridium perfringensIleitisSalmonellosisSwine dysenteryTorsion of the stomach and the intestines

Intestinal torsion was the cause of death in this pig. This is usually a sporadic death. Mortality in weaned and growing pigs should normally be less than 3% and up to a third of this may be caused by torsion. If it reaches 1% or more, the dietary components should be examined closely to see if there are starch based ingredients that might cause excessive fermentation in the gut. In such cases, the addition of an antibiotic and/or increasing the fibre level in the diet will reduce the bacterial multiplication that produces intestinal gas and finally a twist.

Over-feeding could cause an abnormal fermentation of the contents of both the small and large intestine resulting in gas formation, increased pressure and a twist.