Pig Health Today

PRRS has challenged producers and swine veterinarians for decades. During that time, outbreak management and strategies have evolved along with the virus. The post Linhares: Digging deeper into PRRS outbreak management appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Today's sow farms are highly efficient production systems, yet pre-weaning mortality can remain a challenge. The post Krantz: Prioritize people to improve pre-wean mortality appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) has challenged producers and swine veterinarians for decades. During that time, outbreak management and strategies have evolved along with the virus. “If you ask 20 different people how they are managing PRRS breaks, you may get 20 different answers,” Daniel Linhares, DVM, Iowa State University, told Pig Health Today. “People are still trying different things to succeed in their PRRS management program.” 

Today's sow farms are highly efficient production systems, yet pre-weaning mortality can remain a challenge. “Pre-wean mortality is sometimes less about the pigs than it is the folks taking care of pigs,” Seth Krantz, DVM, Tosh Farms, told Pig Health Today. “We have a lot of opportunity in how we manage, develop and motivate our people…that's really the key component of lowering pre-wean mortality.”

African swine fever (ASF) has spread like a slow burn across the globe since the 2007 identification in the Republic of Georgia. It moved into the EU, then into China and across Asia. In 2021, for the first time in 40 years, ASF was discovered in the Dominican Republic. The post AgView: Contact tracing for ASF and much more appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Efforts are underway in Canada to develop an ASF-Free Compartments strategy allowing farms to market hogs in the event of an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak. The post Canada develops plan to market hogs during ASF outbreak appeared first on Pig Health Today.

US pig producers know that many different strains of PRRS exist, but the continual emergence of new sub-lineages continues to destabilize progress towards PRRS control, said Kim VanderWaal, PhD, University of Minnesota. The post VanderWaal: Expect to see new PRRS sublineages emerge appeared first on Pig Health Today.

African swine fever (ASF) has spread like a slow burn across the globe since the 2007 identification in the Republic of Georgia. It moved into the EU, and by 2018, surfaced in China then continued across Asia. In 2021, for the first time in 40 years, ASF was discovered in the Dominican Republic. “Put simply, the global status of ASF is that it's here and it's here to stay, unfortunately,” Patrick Webb, DVM, director of swine health with the National Pork Board (NPB), told Pig Health Today.

Efforts are underway in Canada to develop an ASF-Free Compartments strategy allowing farms to market hogs in the event of an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak.  Egan Brockhoff, DVM, veterinary counselor with the Canadian Pork Council, discussed plans to work with government veterinary authorities and industry to help high-biosecurity farms participate in an ASF-Free Compartments Program that allows them to continue marketing hogs in the face of foreign animal disease. He hopes the US will consider following a similar plan.

US pig producers know that many different strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) exist, and that immunological cross-protection amongst different strains can be variable.  However, the continual emergence of new sub-lineages continues to destabilize progress towards PRRS control, said Kim VanderWaal, PhD, associate professor at the University of Minnesota. 

Over the past two decades, the swine industry learned how to eliminate Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhp) from herds without depopulation/repopulation, according to Paul Yeske, DVM, Swine Vet Center, St. Peter, Minnesota. Yeske has been at the forefront of the efforts to eliminate the respiratory disease for clients. 

US pig producers have made a big push to eliminate Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhp) from their herds as a way to capture more value in finishing pigs. The post Start with the gilt-development unit for Mhp elimination appeared first on Pig Health Today.

US pig producers have made a big push to eliminate Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhp) from their herds as a way to capture more value in finishing pigs, said Melissa Hensch, DVM, director of health and animal care at The Maschhoffs, headquartered in Carlyle, Illinois. But like any control and elimination program, Mhp management takes time and commitment. 

When a sow doesn't reach her full potential, the cost to the farm and the income stream of the sow herd is often “grossly underestimated,” said John Deen, DVM, PhD, University of Minnesota. The post Deen: We're underestimating the cost of sow mortality appeared first on Pig Health Today.

When a sow doesn't reach her full potential, the cost to the farm and the income stream of the sow herd is often “grossly underestimated,” said John Deen, DVM, PhD, a professor at the University of Minnesota. Current estimates of $500 to $1,000 per sow due to an early exit may be much lower than the actual cost, Deen told Pig Health Today.

From the person doing the power washing to the owner of the farm business, everyone involved in a pork-production system plays a vital role in keeping the operation safe and secure. The post Johnson: Make your farm a biosecurity fortress appeared first on Pig Health Today.

From the person doing the power washing to the owner of the farm business, everyone involved in a pork-production system plays a vital role in keeping the operation safe and secure. The post Johnson: Make your farm a biosecurity fortress appeared first on Pig Health Today.

From the person doing the power washing to the owner of the farm business, everyone involved in a pork-production system plays a vital role in keeping the operation safe and secure, Clayton Johnson, DVM, with Carthage Veterinary Services in Carthage, Illinois, told Pig Health Today. He offers important steps to ensure that an operation is practicing sound biosecurity. 

All types of supplies and equipment enter a hog farm, putting the operation at risk of a disease outbreak. Improved biosecurity protocols with layering help minimize the risks, reported Erin Kettelkamp, DVM, Swine Vet Center. 

Ross Kiehne, DVM from Swine Vet Center in St. Peter, Minnesota discusses baby pig scours. 

Regular biosecurity checks with a close look at filtration and ventilation systems will help prevent the spread of airborne pathogens like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. The post Filtration audits help prepare for PRRS season appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Regular biosecurity checks with a close look at filtration and ventilation systems will help prevent the spread of airborne pathogens like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. The post Filtration audits help prepare for PRRS season appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have been working on a predictive model to forecast when a disease outbreak may occur on a farm. The post Forecasting swine disease outbreaks appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Most, if not all, pigs harbor some strains of Strep suis. Lately, challenges by the bacteria appear to be on the rise, but that could be interpreted as a positive. The post Managing Strep suis in commercial pig production appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Most, if not all, pigs harbor some strains of Strep suis. Lately, challenges by the bacteria appear to be on the rise, but that could be interpreted as a positive. The post Managing Strep suis in commercial pig production appeared first on Pig Health Today.

The biggest issue facing most hog farms today is a shortage of workers, according to Laura Bruner, DVM, Swine Vet Center, St. Peter, Minnesota.“If you ask (producers) what their challenges are in their day-to-day life, it's finding labor and enough labor to be able to take care of the sows and get the production they want,” she said. 

Regular biosecurity checks with a close look at filtration and ventilation systems will help prevent the spread of airborne pathogens like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), according to Jeff Feder, DVM, Swine Vet Center, St. Peter, Minnesota.

 Most, if not all, pigs harbor some strains of Streptococcus suis (Strep suis). Lately, challenges by the bacteria appear to be on the rise, but that could be interpreted as a positive. 

African swine fever (ASF) has continued its steady, insidious spread in other parts of the world, but the fact that the US has remained free of the virus to-date has given veterinarians a window of opportunity. The post Connor: Cautious optimism in future management of ASF appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Biosecurity ranks high on the list of concerns for swine veterinarians who want hog units tightened up to reduce disease. But the cost of new improvements can be overwhelming. The post Not making biosecurity improvements can cost more than making them appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Eliminating porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) from pigs might not yet be possible, but monitoring tools could help refine a herd's PRRSV stability. The post Virus persistence challenges PRRS management strategies appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Disease challenges eat into time and profits, and are all too common on US pig farms. That is one reason some producers are switching to batch farrowing as a way to break the disease cycle. The post Johnson: Batch farrowing shows benefits appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Colostrum is vital to piglet survival but managing intake may benefit from some fresh thinking, according to Kara Stewart, associate professor of animal science at Purdue University. The post Rethinking colostrum management and piglet survivability appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Influenza-A virus of swine (IAV-S) is a thorn in the side of US pork producers, and it's a difficult thorn to remove. If the virus were more pathogenic, veterinarians and producers would probably talk about it more. The post New approaches to influenza control look promising appeared first on Pig Health Today.

The system used to classify breeding herds according to their PRRSV status has long helped swine veterinarians around the world to track the pathogen's progress. The post Revised herd classifications expand the PRRS road map appeared first on Pig Health Today.

It's not unrealistic to say that if you checked the nasal cavities or tonsils of any group of pigs, you would find Strep suis. It is on virtually every hog farm. The post Strep suis continuously challenges US herds appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Sow lameness continues to trouble hog operations in the US, causing high numbers of involuntary removals from herds. The post Early identification critical in preventing sow lameness appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Sow lameness continues to trouble hog operations in the US, causing high numbers of involuntary removals from herds. The post Early identification critical in preventing sow lameness appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Water doesn't get the attention it deserves because it is abundant, easy to access and inexpensive, but that will change in the future, said John Patience, PhD, professor at Iowa State University. The post Water: An often-overlooked factor in pig health appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Raising pigs without antibiotics requires extra management and different tools compared to traditional commercial hog production. The post Tools for managing pigs without antibiotics appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Taking care of sick animals is no fun for anybody. For that reason, and so many more, biosecurity is a high priority for Clayton Johnson, DVM, with Carthage Veterinary Service headquartered in Carthage, Illinois. The post Veterinarians serve as biosecurity champions appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Some breed-to-wean farms that have been vaccinated for porcine circovirus (PCV) have experienced breakdowns in their control of the virus. Clayton Johnson, DVM, outlines his top five steps for managing PCV outbreaks. The post Johnson: Five steps for porcine circovirus control appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Jeff Feder, DVM, with Swine Vet Center, has spent 15 years fine-tuning filtration systems in client hog barns. Today, Feder has records to prove air filtration does reduce outbreaks of disease like PRRS. The post Reducing PRRS outbreaks by using air filtration: What you need to know appeared first on Pig Health Today.

US producers have seen the devastating impact of African swine fever (ASF) in other countries. The ultimate goal is to keep it out of this country, so industry groups are ramping up preparedness and prevention protocols. The post Sundberg: Ramping up African swine fever preparedness and prevention appeared first on Pig Health Today.

US producers have seen the devastating impact of African swine fever (ASF) in other countries. The ultimate goal is to keep it out of this country, so industry groups are ramping up preparedness and prevention protocols. The post Sundberg: Ramping up African swine fever preparedness and prevention appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Water is as important for the growth and health of pigs as feed. As such, it makes sense to test a hog unit's water just as frequently as the feed, according to Jim Kober, DVM, water quality-consultant, Holland, Michigan. The post Why it pays to conduct regular water-quality checkups appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Water is as important for the growth and health of pigs as feed. As such, it makes sense to test a hog unit's water just as frequently as the feed, according to Jim Kober, DVM, water quality-consultant, Holland, Michigan. The post Why it pays to conduct regular water-quality checkups appeared first on Pig Health Today.

The Swine Health Information Center is trying to close the window on African swine fever (ASF) so the virus doesn't get into North America, said Paul Sundberg, DVM, executive director of the organization. In addition to a comprehensive biosecurity review, “We're doing real-time research in Vietnam as the ASF outbreak happens,” Sundberg said. “If it gets here, we'll be better prepared to respond to it.”

Some breed-to-wean farms that have been vaccinated for porcine circovirus (PCV) have experienced breakdowns in their control of the virus. Clayton Johnson, DVM, outlines his top five steps for managing PCV outbreaks. The post Johnson: Five steps for porcine circovirus control appeared first on Pig Health Today.

Some breed-to-wean farms that have been vaccinated for porcine circovirus (PCV) have experienced breakdowns in their control of the virus. “We've seen disease consequences that we didn't expect in well-managed populations,” Clayton Johnson, DVM, told Pig Health Today. Here he outlines his top five steps for managing PCV outbreaks. 

Sow lameness continues to trouble hog operations in the US, causing high numbers of involuntary removals from herds. These expensive sow removals can be reduced by identifying lameness issues early and addressing equipment hazards that lead to sow injuries, reported Michael Pierdon, VMD, Four Star Veterinary Service, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania.