[Reproductive disorders in the female pig: causes, manifestation, diagnostics and approach in herd health care].

Reproductive failure is the most common cause for culling sows from production herds. These failures can affect individual pigs, but can also be a farm problem. Any region of the pig's genital tract can be diseased, with the uterus being the most frequently affected organ. Numerous microorganisms and toxins are known to cause genital pathology in the sow. Although reproduction problems are considered to be multifactorial, recognizing genital pathology is crucial as the first step in the diagnostic workup of reproductive disorders. This contribution briefly reviews the most common genital disorders in the female pig with respect to incidence, pathogenesis and clinical picture. In a second part, the gynaecological examination and the steps in the diagnostic workup are presented.