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Johnson: Make your farm a biosecurity fortress
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.
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Filtration audits help prepare for PRRS season
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.
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Don’t forget biocontainment of disease when following biosecurity plans
The latest disease outbreaks fueled by new disease variants are good reminders that the best biosecurity plans must include strategies to keep disease contained within a barn as well as ways to...
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First-hand ASF experience offers lessons for US industry
Plan for the worst; hope for the best. That’s good advice for many situations but particularly accurate when it comes to African swine fever (ASF).
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Real-world confirmation of virus survival in feed ingredients
It’s well known today that several swine viruses can survive in feed ingredients under laboratory research conditions. But how does that translate to the real world?
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Biosecurity needs regular maintenance to keep out disease
A hog operation’s biosecurity plan needs regular attention to prevent lapses that can lead to a devastating outbreak. How do you make biosecurity a priority and reduce disease outbreaks?
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Not making biosecurity improvements can cost more than making them
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.
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Strep suis continuously challenges US herds
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.
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Developing data-driven biosecurity programs
Pablo Moreno, DVM, Swine Veterinary and Production International Service LLC, recently spoke with Pig Health Today about implementing best biosecurity practices.
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Novel machine-learning tool can predict PRRSV outbreaks and biosecurity effectiveness
In spite of advanced biosecurity protocols, the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) continues to plague global pork producers with unpredictable, seasonal outbreaks.
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Veterinarians serve as biosecurity champions
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...
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Internal biosecurity essential to endemic disease control on pig farms
Establishing effective internal biosecurity protocols is critical to breaking the circular spread of influenza and other pathogens between sow farms and growing sites, according to Montserrat...
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Testing feed-storage time and temperature to reduce virus survival risk
Swine viruses have been shown to hitch a ride in feed and feed ingredients, thereby increasing the infection risk. To address this, the swine industry has applied a range of mitigation techniques.
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Why it pays to conduct regular water-quality checkups
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...
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Rapid scours diagnosis key to limiting piglet mortality
Prevention, early identification and immediate initiation of supportive care and treatment of neonatal scours are critical, says Deb Murray, DVM, veterinary services manager for New Fashion Pork.
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Swine disease-outbreak investigations identify hazards and on-farm risk events
Biosecurity has become the all-inclusive protector of swine herd health. But even with all the biosecurity research, protocols and training, disease outbreaks occur regularly. Why is that?
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Ventilation systems need winter check-up to keep pigs healthy
Ventilation systems in hog buildings need regular check-ups to prevent environmental issues that can compromise pig health.
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Decontamination protocols fail to disinfect incoming hog supplies
Biosecurity protocols are critical to keeping the US hog herd healthy, and one of the regular tasks is to disinfect a wide range of supplies entering the farm, but how effective are those protocols?
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Tackle post-weaning E. coli issues with aggressive cleaning, vaccination
By Ryan Strobel, DVM, Swine Vet Center
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COVID-19 lesson for hog farms: Tighten up basic biosecurity
The COVID-19 outbreak reinforces what veterinarians and pork producers already know — biosecurity protocols control disease.
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Veterinarians answer questions on influenza
With influenza A virus (IAV-S) in swine continuing to cause performance losses on US pig farms, veterinarians have taken up the mantle to find solutions.
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Eisenmenger: Time to invest in market-transport biosecurity
Grow-finish farms are the last segment of hog production to enact strict biosecurity protocols. That needs to change, reports Mike Eisenmenger, DVM, Swine Vet Center, St. Peter, Minnesota.
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Data show filtered farms break less often with PRRS
Nine years of data from the Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Project show farms with air-filtering systems have fewer outbreaks of PRRS than farms without filters.
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Automatic foggers fall short in disinfecting hog-farm supplies
Preventing fomites from carrying pathogens into hog farms is a daily biosecurity priority, but how effective are typical disinfection protocols?
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Rotavirus infections lower weaned-pig weights by a pound
Rotavirus infections in pigs have been around for decades. But in the last several years, the virus has re-appeared, causing diarrhea in neonatal and post-weaned pigs that impedes their growth for...
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Moving biosecurity from the farm to the feed mill
An effective biosecurity strategy is not a stagnant process. It is continuously influenced by changes in pig-flows, disease pressures, virus evolution, emerging health issues and more.
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No. 1 biosecurity lesson: Never stop improving
The first lesson of biosecurity, according to Andrea Pitkin, DVM, health assurance veterinarian for PIC, is to learn, modify and adapt because new threats can surface at any time.
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The Maschhoffs combine technology and coaching to build a biosecurity culture
Biosecurity on hog farms is serious business, and it’s no secret that success hinges on how well protocols are carried out. For years, emphasis has been on building a “biosecurity culture,” and...
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Fogging helps establish Day 0 for M. hyo elimination
Maintaining a healthy herd takes time, energy and constant emphasis on biosecurity, Amy Maschhoff, DVM, told Pig Health Today.
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Biosecurity: A practical approach
By Joseph F. Connor, DVM, MS, Carthage Veterinary Service, Ltd.. Carthage, Illinois
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Connor: ASF fears prompting broader view of biosecurity
Maintaining good biosecurity has long been key to advancing the health, well-being and productivity of hog farms, but the threat of African swine fever has raised the bar and prompted veterinarians...
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Feed-mill biosecurity critical to reducing disease transmission
Feed and feed ingredients are generating a lot of interest as possible vectors in transmitting swine diseases.
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Picking your battles is key to biosecurity success
Biosecurity is one of those on-farm topics that gets a lot of time and attention, but it can easily fall apart in the day-to-day reality of managing pigs.
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What’s your ‘risk attitude’? The role of human behavior in biosecurity
How human behavior impacts biosecurity decisions is a new frontier that’s critical to producers.
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AVMA releases first-ever guidelines for depopulation of animals
The AVMA has published its first ever Guidelines for the Depopulation of Animals to help veterinarians support animal welfare in situations where the difficult decision to depopulate has been made.
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Secure Pork Supply plan updated to meet changing FAD needs
With African swine fever (ASF) well established in China and parts of Europe, US pork producers need to take steps now to protect their interests in the face of an outbreak.
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Understanding feed flow, biosecurity critical in ASF battle
The US pork industry is nervous about African swine fever (ASF) and other foreign animal diseases entering the country — and for good reason.
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USDA steps up measures to prevent ASF spread to the US
As the spread of African swine fever (ASF) across Asia shows no signs of slowing, US pork producers have watched with a nervous eye toward international commerce and travel.
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Rapid Response Plan offers CSI team for emerging diseases
Determining the cause of a peculiar health condition in pigs is not unlike a crime scene investigation (CSI). The veterinarian, producer and diagnosticians search for clues into what, how and why the...
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Special report: FAD outbreak could cost US agriculture $200 billion over 10 years
This is the first in a two-part series on foreign animal diseases. Part 2 looks at what the US pork industry is doing to head off an FAD outbreak and to prepare for one.
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Veterinarian: ‘Take PED seriously and get it cleaned up’
After a few years of limited activity, PED remained quiet in southwest Minnesota until last spring, when four sow farms in southwest Minnesota broke with the disease.
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Locking out PDCOV requires attention to biosecurity detail
Porcine delta coronavirus (PDCOV) may not be as devastating as its relative, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), but the negative impact on production is motivation enough to work to lock it out...
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Dee: Research shows potential for FAD transmission through some imported feed ingredients
A big step in preventing transmission of foreign animal diseases (FAD) through feed is to reduce virus-survival rates in the feed, explained Scott Dee, DVM, PhD, director of research, Pipestone...
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Tips for proper selection of cleaning, disinfection products
By Neal Benjamin, DVM Carthage Veterinary Service Carthage, Illinois
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Building a better understanding of biosecurity and PRRS risks
At the center of any biosecurity program is the goal of preventing pathogens or diseases from entering and infecting a swine herd. Perhaps no disease has challenged producers and veterinarians as...
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Crossing the line: Biosecurity for employee entry is still a work in progress
By Derald Holtkamp, MS, DVM Associate Professor Iowa State University
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Cull sow market breeding ground for disease transmission
Many sows sold into the cull sow market become “frequent travelers” and pose a serious risk of disease transmission if a foreign animal-disease (FAD) outbreak occurs.
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What have we learned about antibiotic-resistant genes in groundwater?
Swine manure is a valuable resource for cropland, but understanding its potential impact on groundwater is an ongoing priority.
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Cull-sow market endangers foreign animal-disease prevention
The US cull-sow market could threaten containment plans if a foreign animal-disease (FAD) outbreak occurred in the US, according to Jim Lowe, DVM, associate professor at the University of Illinois.
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Boar stud requires high health status, zero tolerance for biosecurity errors
A boar stud producing semen for thousands of sows needs to maintain excellent health with the highest level of biosecurity possible.
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Pork producers gain ground against PRRS with reduced production losses
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) remains one of the most costly viruses infecting US herds. But an Iowa State University study showed the annual cost of PRRS dropped nearly $100...
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Secure Pork Supply plan: Beginning steps to safeguard your herd
According to an Iowa State University study, the potential revenue losses to US pork and beef industries from an FMD outbreak would run $12.8 billion annually with associated losses to corn and...
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Lessons learned from PRRS outbreak investigations
By Derald Holtkamp, MS, DVM, Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, Iowa
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Is your hog farm prepared to navigate quarantines in a FAD outbreak?
Each year, approximately 25% of all the pork produced in the US is exported to other countries. Imagine if access to those markets closed abruptly. That’s the scenario pork producers would face if...
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What PED taught us about handling future disease outbreaks
The porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) outbreak that devastated many US hog farms over the past 4 years served as a wake-up call for the pork industry to be more vigilant against foreign animal...
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‘Secure Pork’ plan aims to ensure pig flow from uninfected farms during FAD outbreak
If a foreign animal disease (FAD) were to hit the US pork industry, the impact could be dramatic and widespread — most likely resulting in government-mandated quarantines around the affected areas...
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Biosecurity must-haves for swine veterinarians
No one wants to introduce a harmful pathogen into a herd, but the reality is the more pig exposure that a person has, the riskier that visitor becomes, even if he or she is a veterinarian.
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What’s the best PRRS strategy for your herd?
Every year, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) infects an estimated 25% to 45% of sow herds in the US, according to Clayton Johnson, DVM, Carthage Veterinary Clinic, Carthage,...
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Survey identifies gaps in employee biosecurity practices
For biosecurity to be effective, everyone working within the farm needs to understand and comply with the defined protocols. In reality, a person’s attitude can make or break the outcome, so it’s...
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Want better biosecurity? Start with your pig trailers
Improving transportation biosecurity may be the last frontier the swine industry needs to conquer to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases. According to Butch Baker, DVM, the spread of...
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Feed biosecurity must address risk of PEDV transmission
The biosecurity of swine feed is important for producing healthy animals and safe pork. But until 2013, feed was considered a low-risk vehicle for transmitting viral pathogens to swine.
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Solve biosecurity overload by focusing on the basics
Keeping a hog farm free of pathogens can be a daunting task for producers. The process to evaluate potential risks and then undertake biosecurity measures to manage the risks has become complex. In...
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Formula sheds light on disease risk
Understanding the transmission route of a disease pathogen, how long it’s infective, its survivability in the environment and routes of infection all build the foundation for creating effective...
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Disease-prevention considerations for people and supplies
“The success of any biosecurity program rests with compliance,” said Anna Romagosa, DVM, with PIC Europe.
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Unloading docks at processing plants appear to be source of PRRSV
Unloading docks at processing plants may be one way that livestock trailers become contaminated with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV).
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Effective biosecurity requires multiple layers
Most hog farms have some level of biosecurity in place today, but simply outlining protocols doesn’t mean they’re effective.
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Disinfectant effective against PEDV in freezing conditions
Contaminated hog trailers are now known to be partially responsible for spreading the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) in 2013 as it emerged in the US.
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Losing family swine herd to disease turned this farmhand into a veterinarian
As a child, when the swine disease pseudorabies (Aujeszky’s disease) forced his father to sell all the family’s pigs and start over, Andrew Bents got the calling to become a swine veterinarian.
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