Created on Mon, Sept 04, 2023 05:10:35 PM
They attend practical workshops on the health and management of breeding guinea pigs to improve performance
Agricultural producers involved in technical breeding of guinea pigs in the Moro region of the Ancash region attended a workshop on breeding health and management practices aimed at improving their performance.
During a workshop organized by the Agricultural Training Program of the Integrated Rural Development Service (Sedir), they had the opportunity to perform autopsies on guinea pigs to identify diseases that may attack these rodents.
“I work in a rural recreational area in Morro, and I already had experience cutting guinea pigs, but I didn’t know how to recognize the disease. Now I’m learning”, comments María Sandonás, who uses a sharp scalpel skillfully and quite precisely, Gently cut the skin of the guinea pig placed on the bench. He slowly removes the animal’s fur, then makes a new incision that allows the chest to be opened and the state of the organs to be observed.
One of the diseases identified is salmonellosis, which develops white spots on the livers of guinea pigs. This disease is the most dangerous, highly contagious, and can kill all specimens in the shed if not prevented or controlled in time. Another disease that affects rodents is pneumonia.
“Guinea pigs suffer from infectious and parasitic diseases, mite and lice attacks and it is very important that breeders learn to recognize them. It is also important that their sheds should have a first aid kit containing antibiotics and antiparasitics”, Liberato Torre Albino, head of training at Sedir, commented.
It is also necessary to clean the fence with lime and put the same material at the entrance to disinfect shoes.
Guinea pigs can also get sick from fungal disease, which is spread from skin to skin between guinea pigs, and conjunctivitis, a product of dirt in pens. (WC – RSD News).