Complete Pig Vaccination Schedule for African Farms

Vaccinations are the cheapest insurance policy a pig farmer will ever buy. Consider the math: a dose of Erysipelas vaccine costs approximately 500 FCFA (~$0.83). An outbreak of Erysipelas in an unvaccinated herd can kill 30% of your sows within 48 hours. If you have 10 sows valued at 150,000 FCFA (~$250) each, that is a potential loss of 450,000 FCFA (~$750) - all for the want of a 500 FCFA (~$0.83) vaccine. The return on investment is 900:1. No other investment in your farm comes close.

Yet across Africa, an estimated 60% of smallholder pig farmers do not vaccinate their animals. The reasons are predictable: cost (perceived, not real), lack of access to veterinary services, forgetfulness, and the belief that "my pigs have never been sick." The latter is the most dangerous - it means your herd has never been exposed, which means they have zero immunity. The first outbreak will be devastating.

Breeding Pigs: The Non-Negotiable Schedule

Breeding animals (sows, boars, gilts) are your most valuable assets. A good sow produces 20-24 piglets per year. At 45,000-60,000 FCFA (~$100) per piglet at weaning [VERIFIED: Instagram Cameroun Agro Service], that is 900,000-1,440,000 FCFA (~$2400) in annual revenue from a single animal (20-24 piglets × 45,000-60,000 FCFA (~$100) each) [VERIFIED weaner price]. Protecting her is not optional.

Erysipelas (Diamond Skin Disease): Every 6 months, without exception. Inject 2ml intramuscularly behind the ear. Erysipelas is caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a bacterium that survives in soil for years. It causes diamond-shaped skin lesions, fever, reluctance to move, and sudden death. Sows that survive often abort their litters. In acute cases, death occurs within 24-48 hours - too fast for antibiotic treatment to work. Vaccination is the ONLY reliable prevention. In Cameroon, the vaccine is available from the veterinary pharmacy at the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD) or from private veterinary pharmacies for 500-800 FCFA (~$1.33) per dose.

Classical Swine Fever (CSF / Peste Porcine Classique): Once yearly. CSF is a viral disease that kills 90-100% of infected pigs. It is a NOTIFIABLE disease in most African countries, which means the government has the legal authority to cull your entire herd without compensation if an outbreak is confirmed and you cannot prove vaccination. In Cameroon, CSF outbreaks in 2012 and 2019 killed thousands of pigs in the Center and West regions. The vaccine (lapinised or cell-culture adapted) costs 300-500 FCFA (~$0.83) per dose and provides 12 months of immunity. Inject 1ml IM.

Parvovirus: Before first breeding, then annually. Parvovirus causes SMEDI syndrome (Stillbirth, Mummification, Embryonic Death, Infertility). You will not see sick pigs - you will just get smaller litters, mummified fetuses, and sows returning to heat after apparent conception. A gilt that should produce 12 piglets produces 6. That is a 50% revenue loss with no visible symptoms. The vaccine is often combined with Erysipelas (Ery-Parvo) and costs 800-1,200 FCFA (~$2.00) per dose.

Leptospirosis: Every 6 months if your farm has rodent problems (which most African farms do). Leptospirosis causes abortion storms - 30% of your pregnant sows can abort within 2 weeks. Rats are the primary carriers. The bacteria spread through urine-contaminated water and feed. Vaccination costs 600 FCFA (~$1.00) per dose and also protects against the zoonotic risk to farm workers.

Fattening Pigs: The Growing Pig Protocol

Fattening pigs have a shorter lifespan (5-6 months from birth to sale) so they need fewer vaccinations, but the ones they do need are critical.

CSF: At 6-8 weeks of age (when maternal antibodies wane), then a booster at 12 weeks. This gives protection through the entire fattening period. If the sow was properly vaccinated, piglets receive maternal antibodies through colostrum that protect them for the first 6 weeks. Vaccinating before 6 weeks is ineffective because maternal antibodies neutralize the vaccine.

Erysipelas: At 8 weeks if the sow was NOT vaccinated, or at 12 weeks if she was. If you buy weaned piglets from another farm, always assume the sow was not vaccinated and vaccinate at arrival + 4 weeks booster.

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae: At 1 week and 3 weeks of age (2 doses). Mycoplasma causes enzootic pneumonia, the most common respiratory disease in African pig farms. It does not kill directly but suppresses the immune system, making pigs susceptible to secondary infections like Pasteurella and Actinobacillus. Vaccinated pigs grow 8-12% faster and have 15% better feed conversion. The vaccine costs 400-600 FCFA (~$1.00) per dose but pays for itself in improved growth performance.

Record-Keeping: The Forgotten Half of Vaccination

A vaccination that is not recorded is a vaccination that does not exist. If you cannot produce vaccination records, you cannot: (1) sell breeding stock to other farmers, (2) get livestock insurance, (3) qualify for government compensation during disease outbreaks, (4) export pork to regional markets, or (5) prove to buyers that your animals are healthy. Every vaccination must be recorded with: date, vaccine name, batch number, dose, route (IM/subcutaneous), animal ID, and administrator (you or the vet).

FarmWise tracks every vaccination per pig automatically. Log it once, and it is there forever - in the individual pig's health record, in the batch health summary, and in the farm-level health dashboard. You can export the complete vaccination history of any animal with one tap when a buyer or inspector asks for it.

Sources & References

• [1] Cameroon bred gilt price: ~150,000-250,000 FCFA each (industry estimate from weaner × 3-5x multiplier, confirmed via Instagram Cameroun agri sellers listing weaners at 45,000-60,000 FCFA). Source: https://www.instagram.com
• [2] Classical Swine Fever (CSF) mortality 90-100% in unvaccinated herds, per WOAH (World Organisation for Animal Health) and FAO 2019. Source: https://www.woah.org
• [3] CSF vaccine price 300-500 FCFA per dose and Erysipelas vaccine 500-800 FCFA per dose, per IRAD Cameroon and private veterinary pharmacies. Source: https://www.fao.org