Seek and you shall find; The value of postmortem, in pigs?

Why should we do post-mortem examinations in pigs? That’s the question Jeff Bergermann, Veterinary Services Manager at Zoetis Canada, posed at the start of his presentation to participants of the 2024 PSC Producer Meetings. Jeff, who owns a small herd of cattle, showed pictures of a dead calf that looked  completely normal on the outside. However, once he had cut open the calf, it turned out that its heart had been developing outside its chest, instead being in the neck area. This is a perfect example of the value of post-mortem examinations; it can give you an answer as to what happened to the animal, why  other problems occurring in the herd.  It’s a good idea to do post-mortem examinations when you see changes in production, such as increased mortality or morbidity, or decreased productivity. If you sell isoweans, feeders or replacement gilts, or run a boar stud, there can be a lot of downstream effects when health issues occur. It’s a good idea to get a clear picture of what is ha