Tiamulin water medication in the treatment of swine dysentery under farm conditions.

The clinical efficacy of tiamulin given in the drinking water at levels of 0.0045 per cent for five days and 0.006 per cent for three days was evaluated for the treatment of swine dysentery in six clinical studies and compared with positive controls using tylosin at 0.02 per cent in the drinking water for five days and untreated controls. Efficacy was evaluated by assessment of the pigs' general appearance; the extent of diarrhoea and dehydration; performance, as measured by average daily gains and feed conversion efficiency; the presence or absence of Treponema hyodysenteriae in the faeces and mortality. As a result of statistical analysis of these parameters tiamulin medication was found to be an efficacious therapeutic regimen for naturally occurring swine dysentery when given at either level in the drinking water.