Impact of particulate matter and ammonia on average daily weight gain, mortality and lung lesions in pigs

The present study investigated the simultaneous influence of particulate matter (PM10) and ammonia (NH3) on performance, lung lesions and the presence of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) in finishing pigs. A pig herd experiencing clinical problems of M. hyopneumoniae infections was selected. In total, 1095 finishing pigs of two replicates in eight compartments each were investigated during the entire finishing period (FP). Indoor PM10 and NH3 were measured at regular intervals during the FP with two Grimm spectrometers and two Graywolf Particle Counters (PM10) and an Innova photoacoustic gas monitor (NH3). Average daily weight gain (ADG) and mortality were calculated and associated with PM10 and NH3 during the FP. Nasal swabs (10 pigs/compartment) were collected one week prior to slaughter to detect DNA of M. hyopneumoniae with nested PCR (nPCR). The prevalence and extent of pneumonia lesions, and prevalence of fissures and pleurisy were examined at slaughter (29 weeks). The results from the nasal swabs and lung lesions were associated with PM10 and NH3 during the FP and the second half of the FP. In the univariable model, increasing PM10 concentrations resulted in a higher odds of pneumonia lesions (second half of the FP: OR = 8.72; P = 0.015), more severe pneumonia lesions (FP: P = 0.04, second half of the FP: P = 0.009), a higher odds of pleurisy lesions (FP: OR = 20.91; P < 0.001 and second half of the FP: OR = 40.85; P < 0.001) and a higher number of nPCR positive nasal samples (FP: OR = 328.00; P = 0.01 and second half of the FP: OR = 185.49; P = 0.02). Increasing NH3 concentrations in the univariable model resulted in a higher odds of pleurisy lesions (FP: OR = 21.54; P = 0.003) and a higher number of nPCR positive nasal samples (FP: OR = 70.39; P = 0.049; second half of the FP: OR = 8275.05; P = 0.01). In the multivariable model, an increasing PM10 concentration resulted in a higher odds of pleurisy lesions (FP: OR = 8.85; P = 0.049). These findings indicate that the respiratory health of finishing pigs was significantly affected by PM10.