PRRS has been challenging swine producers for nearly 35 years. In late 2020, a variant strain surfaced from the PRRS 1-4-4 L1C lineage. It can be extremely virulent, although not the only variant strain circulating in swine herds. We’re sharing articles with different perspectives about the significance of this variant. It is clear, however, that biosecurity protocols at … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 11, 2021
Ionophores help control coccidiosis and more Source: Dairy Herd Management, March 4, 2021. Link. Ionophores promote calf health and performance through a combination of disease control and improved feed efficiency. They also have shown numerous benefits in dry, transition, and lactating cow rations. 5 signs indicate the time to consult a professional obedience … [Read more...]
Pig flu antibodies could guide human flu treatment
The Pirbright Institute has generated the first pig antibodies against swine influenza that protect against infection and recognize the same parts of the flu virus as human antibodies. This work reinforces the use of pigs as powerful models to predict human responses in infection and vaccination, according to Professor John Hammond. Source: PORK, March 5, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Why pigs don’t wear masks
Opinion Relating the challenges of pandemic mask wearing may be a reach, but swine veterinarians and producers have been fighting Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS) since the late 1980s. Most animal health pros realize the importance of pathogen reduction. Air filtering has become a primary method of reducing risks in swine units where herd density … [Read more...]
Vilsack parallels Covid-19 and animal disease vigilance
USDA Secretary of Agriculture nominee Tom Vilsack said there are three lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic that can help the country better prepare for future human and animal infectious disease outbreaks: the sooner you can detect a problem, the better incredible coordination is required the country must be able to create, distribute and manufacture … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 4, 2021
Nationwide® partners with Walmart on first-of-its kind pet prescription program Source: Nationwide, January 29, 2021. Link. From the article: Preferred pricing and the opportunity to have claims for covered drugs processed at the counter of a major retail pharmacy is a first for the pet health insurance industry. How does reducing swine herds’ stillborn rate pencil … [Read more...]
Global leaders take action to control ASF
Disease surveillance is table talk today, but most of it is not actionable. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Organization for Animal Health united in late October to launch The Global Control of ASF Initiative to keep African swine fever at bay. The program helps swine professionals in multiple capacities to coordinate and strengthen control … [Read more...]
An update on U.S. feral swine disease surveillance
Like a storm cloud on the horizon, 6 million feral hogs create ongoing challenges and disease threats to rural and ruralpolitan areas. Jennifer Shike shares an update from the collaborative feral swine multi-disciplined team’s progress reports. . . . feral swine pose a threat to our domestic herd in several ways, and we are committed to working with our government and industry … [Read more...]
Biosecurity: You condone what you don’t coach
While this article focuses on swine production, the lessons are applicable to any animal health facility and its personnel. Clayton Johnson, DVM, says the role of the veterinarian is “all-encompassing” when it comes to biosecurity. He compares biosecurity to insurance. Source: PORK, August 21, 2020. Link. If you . . . observe something, and you don’t comment on it or take … [Read more...]
From the streets to the swine barn
Our industry is full of success stories, many which never get told. Jennifer Shrike shares a story of a young woman whose childhood might have sent her spinning out of control. Instead, an innate drive, plus a few empathetic persons and a culture of helping hands sustained and buoyed Gracee Workman. From a bed on a concrete floor, to managing the Ohio State University swine … [Read more...]
Keeping eyes on African Swine Fever
Although it seemed like diseases like African swine fever (ASF) took a backseat during the pandemic, the Covid-19 crisis taught the industry an important lesson about disease outbreaks: more work is needed, writes Jennifer Shrike. She shares four lessons shared during a June webinar. We need: more research and funding at the federal level effective … [Read more...]
Herd immunity in pigs: A case study for getting America back to work
Swine vets are working with medical doctors to apply the principles of her immunity practiced on farm to populations of workers in packing plants. Herd immunity is everyday language for swine veterinarians and managers. The synergies with the current Covid-19 pandemic are evident and algorithms from swine production provide strong skeletons for building human herd immunity … [Read more...]
Pork Checkoff adjustments seek to improve trust and value
Reflecting the changes in pig production in the last 20 years, the Pork Checkoff program is undergoing a transformational shift. In rebuilding the checkoff program, the National Pork Board is putting a laser beam-like focus on the priorities and things that matter the most to our industry: trust and value. Source: PORK, March 5, 2020. Link. David Newman, president of the … [Read more...]
Swine disease management and COVID-19
THANK YOU, Jennifer Shike and Cassandra Jones, PhD, for sharing the challenges of managing swine PEDV and PRRS in the context of our current COVID-19 pandemic. Jones believes suppression should be the strategy. “Even then, we’re looking at June or July as peak of this thing, and 8X more critical care beds needed than we have available.” Cassandra Jones, PhD, Kansas State … [Read more...]
EPA expands COVID-19 disinfectant list
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released an expanded list of EPA-registered disinfectant products that have qualified for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The new expanded list adds nearly 200 products. This includes 40 new products that passed through the agency’s expedited review process. Source: PORK, March 16, 2020. Link. To … [Read more...]
PRRS made swine industry better
PRRS remains the number-one cause of economic impact in the U.S. swine industry. First described in the U.S. in the late 1980s < link >, PRRS has challenged swine veterinarians and producers to improvement all management practices. In addition to biosecurity advancements, PRRS made the swine industry better in five ways: Improved communication Fostered … [Read more...]
Coronavirus and ASF are different beasts (comparison PDF)
Jennifer Shrike walks through the differences between 2019-CoV and African swine fever viruses in a discussion of sources, risks, similarity and differences. ASF has a DNA genome. CoV has an RNA genome which allows the virus to mutate and change similar to influenza viruses. This is how CoV acquires the ability to infect different tissues and to infect different species of … [Read more...]
NPPC says CBS’ 60 minutes missed critical pig farming data in report
60 Minutes aired an episode January 5 questioning the use of antibiotics in the livestock industry and singled out the pork industry. The report failed to include the critical information Liz Wagstrom, DVM, shared about modern pork production. Source: PORK, January 6, 2020. Link. During the interview, the 60 Minutes report did not discuss pork producers’ adoption of … [Read more...]
5 animal health topics beyond African swine fever to think about
Behind the scenes, animal health officials are working on behalf of producers and the livestock industry, writes JoAnn Alumbaugh. She shares five topics of interest discussed during a recent meeting of the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials in conjunction with the 2019 U.S. Animal Health Association (USAHA) annual meeting: Flurry of activity on antibiotic … [Read more...]
PRRS season is here
Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS) virus has a reputation for infecting swine herds more frequently during the fall, winter and spring, writes Adam Schelkopf, DVM. He discusses two primary benefits of using a modified-live virus PRRS vaccine: Growing pig performance Controlling viral spread in a neighborhood Source: PORK, October 21, 2019. Link. … [Read more...]
Back to basics: air, water, feed
Jon DeJong, PhD, reminds us that pigs have three basic needs: feed, water and air. These apply universally to all types of livestock and pets. These basics have not been firmly imprinted in some animal owners. One or more may go unnoticed. Source: PORK, August 13, 2019. Link. Also see: Follow these tips to succeed as a newbie pet parent, Inside Pet’s World, August 7, … [Read more...]
Antibiotic-free production puts pigs at extreme disease risk
A new study reveals what we suspected. “No one has ever done an experiment of this size under representative conditions comparing antibiotic-free production to production strategies utilizing judicious use of antibiotics,” says researcher Scott Dee, DVM. Dr. Dee and the team from Pipestone Applied Research report a new study confirms antibiotic-free production strategies leave … [Read more...]
Call it welfare or well-being, it’s about proper husbandry
Portia Stewart tackles semantics that help non-ag persons comprehend the challenges of raising meat and being good animal stewards. Young consumers want to learn a lot more about their food. One of the problems we have today is a lot of young consumers are totally removed from the world of the practical.” - Temple Grandin, DVM. Source: PORK, February 28, 2019. … [Read more...]
Goodbye dead wagon, hello composting
Transporting carcasses of livestock mortalities is challenging to biosecurity, air quality and groundwater safety. This calls for new alternatives. Jennifer Shike shares her experience visiting a farm using an aeration composter and shares her thoughts on the science and the importance of the topic. Source: PORK, February 15, 2019. Link. Forced aeration composting is a win … [Read more...]
Transportation biosecurity is imperfect at best
Biosecurity is one of the greatest ways to mitigate risk. Procedures cannot fully eliminate cross contamination. Clayton Johnson, DVM, suggests producers focus on controlling what they can when it comes to risk management in their pork operations. Source: PORK, February 7, 2019. Link. There are three main principles that come into play when it comes to biosecurity on the … [Read more...]
Opinion – Livestock producers still facing nuisance laws
As the noise increases about non-traditional-sourced 'meat' proteins, increasing pressure on source and production practices, the livestock industry remains under fire. Urban sprawl and the conversion of farm property to acreages encroach on buffer areas next to livestock production facilities. Iowa attorney Eldon McAfee says agricultural nuisance lawsuits in Iowa are … [Read more...]
Manage flu in swine and you
Whether it’s the neighbor’s pot-bellied pig, the large swine operation nearby or your family, flu season is here, and we all need to pay attention. Since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, research has been conducted to better understand human and pig influenza. Because flu viruses can be transmitted between pigs and people, biosecurity is important to prevent the spread of influenza from … [Read more...]
Focus on what you can control
Clint Schwab* reminds swine producers to remember to let technology take a backseat to good old-fashioned execution. Regardless of individual species focus, any animal health pro will capture something useful in his article about human and animal resources and maximizing production. He discusses training, feed quality, biosecurity, breeding and stress reduction. . . . … [Read more...]
Wild pigs, agricultural and environmental terrorists
A growing wild pig population sparks fear as threats of African swine fever (ASF) hitting U.S. soil are publicized. In Texas, the number of wild pigs could soon be nearly as large as the U.S. sow population of six million sows. Wild pigs can vector 21 some odd diseases we are aware of – communicable to all livestock animals Source: PORK, December 14, 108. Link. When … [Read more...]
Late season rains increase risk for mycotoxins
The swine team at the University of Minnesota provides a review of mycotoxin risks in fed grains following late season rains and regional storage issues. Mycotoxins produced by fungi molds in grains are particularly problematic for swine, poultry and dairy cattle. Source: PORK, November 23, 2018. Link. Broken and damaged kernels are generally highest in mycotoxin … [Read more...]