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USDA expands ASF awareness tools to keep the virus out of the US
USDA has committed new resources to raising the awareness of African swine fever (ASF) and the importance of keeping the virus from entering the US.
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Are you giving M. hyo the attention it deserves?
Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyo) isn’t a new problem in the pork industry. I’s been around for years, but that’s exactly the point: Why is the industry still wrestling with it?
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New technologies may yield new insights on antibiotic use, resistance
The pork industry has a reputation for using antibiotics responsibly, but when the industry looks at antimicrobial use and tries to understand how products either mitigate or promote resistance,...
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Mycoplasma control starts with stabilizing sow herd
Economic losses caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae run between $3 to $10 per finishing hog due to reduced pig performance, according to Elise Toohill, DVM, Carthage Veterinary Service.
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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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Is it time to eliminate PED from US herds?
By Joseph F. Connor, DVM, MS, Carthage Veterinary Service, Ltd., Carthage, Illinois
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Gene editing offers future options to address swine diseases
Whether the focus is human or animal medicine, gene editing has created a buzz today about its potential for addressing numerous health issues.
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Animal welfare key to pork producers’ continuous improvement
Animal well-being is not a new concept and has long been a priority on hog farms. “It’s one of the ethical principles within the industry’s We Care initiative,” said Sherry Webb,...
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‘One Health’ approach needed to balance antibiotic usage, animal welfare
When it comes to responsible antibiotic management, there are wide-ranging views and interpretations on usage, impact, future direction and even terminology.
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FDA’s antibiotic guidance and VFDs continue a smooth transition
It’s fast approaching 2 years since the FDA implemented its revised guidance for antibiotic use in food animals. At the center of the effort is the veterinary feed directive (VFD).
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Why sows leave the herd: Biological priorities and productivity
When it comes to sow productivity, culling and mortality issues, “the simple answer is there’s no simple answer,” John Deen, DVM, University of Minnesota swine epidemiologist, told Pig Health...
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Keep guard up for strep, parasuis in newly weaned pigs
Newly weaned pigs face many challenges — new environment, feed, pen mates. They also face the challenge of bacterial infections like strep and parasuis, the two most common systemic bacterial...
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Strategies to weaken PRRS’ grip on US herds
After more than three decades, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) remains a serious disease threat to swine units in the US.
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Producer priorities drive NPB swine-health research
There’s no shortage of swine-health issues that would benefit from research investment, but when it comes to allocating Pork Checkoff funds, producers make the decisions.
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New council to direct swine-disease response
For years, the USDA and US pork industry have had plans in place to address a foreign animal disease, but PED and ASF developments raised the priority status to a new level.
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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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A question of when: How the US pork industry is preparing for a possible FAD outbreak
This is the second in a two-part series on foreign animal diseases. Part 1 looks at the economic impact of a FAD outbreak.
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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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How FADs have affected foreign markets
Since the middle of the 20th century, numerous foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreaks involving the pork industry have been recorded throughout the world.
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Veterinarian sees changes to three high-risk swine diseases
Three diseases affecting finishing hogs — Senecavirus A, porcine sapelovirus and erysipelas — have undergone changes over the past year that warrant the pork industry’s attention.
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Don’t lose sight of M. hyo while battling other swine pathogens
TOOLBOX, Issue 1: An interview with Lucina Galina Pantoja, DVM, PhD, Director, Swine Technical Services, Zoetis
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Researchers create algorithm to predict PEDV outbreaks
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed an algorithm that could give pig farms advance notice of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) outbreaks.
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Roundtable: Industry structure, culture, wild boars team up to intensify ASF threat in China
The discovery of African swine fever (ASF) in China’s wild boar population in late 2018 adds a new dimension to the already ominous disease threat — one that could possibly leave the Chinese to...
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Tails or testicles: Which are better for PRRSV monitoring?
Pooled serum samples are a common method to monitor PPRSV in piglets. But this typically involves a limited number of samples, which reduces the sensitivity and makes detection especially challenging...
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ASF threat: Three US swine vets share insights from the frontline
The rapid spread of ASF throughout China and other regions of the world has raised concerns the disease will ultimately make its way to the US — a development that could cripple the nation’s pork...
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Z-CAS helping feed mills, producers get the most from medicated feed additives
TOOLBOX, Issue 6: An interview with Marc Howerton, Customer Analytical Services Supervisor, Zoetis
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Herd performance best measure of PRRS vaccine efficacy
TOOLBOX, Issue 9: An interview with Jose Angulo, DVM, PRRS Specialist, Managing Veterinarian, Zoetis
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Quarantine window for feed ingredients may reduce hog disease risk
Foreign animal diseases (FAD) are top of mind as the ongoing outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in China, Belgium and elsewhere, have raised the stakes to implement new practices designed to...
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Processing fluids helping to fine tune diagnostics in swine herds thought to be PRRS-negative
Collecting aggregate samples of processing fluids during tail docking and castration is proving to be an excellent way to monitor herds for porcine reproductive and respiratory disease (PRRS) virus,...
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Seven tips for fine tuning sow feed efficiency
Want to know what’s really impacting your bottom line? Get down to slat level, says a sow-management specialist. That’s where the less obvious feed-related factors could be stealing your ROI.
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Dee: African swine fever outbreak in China major threat to US pork
News that China broke with African swine fever generated great concern for many in the US swine industry, including Scott Dee, DVM, Pipestone Veterinary Services.
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Dipsticks offer early warning of sow urinary-tract infections
Minimizing urinary-tract infections is an important step — not only in securing a sow’s overall health but also its productivity and, ultimately, its longevity.
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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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‘Immune-mediated protection’ key to managing Group C rotavirus
Rotavirus is not a new disease facing the swine industry, but it’s also not going away. There are various groups of rotaviruses that impact piglets differently.
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Non-thermal plasma reactors can inactivate PRRSV
Hog-farm biosecurity measures have largely focused on minimizing the transmission of infectious agents on various surfaces. However, it’s been shown that PRRSV — and possibly other respiratory...
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Feed duration biggest issue under new swine VFD rule
More than a year into FDA’s new veterinary feed directive (VFD) rules, pork producers and veterinarians are finding the potential problem spots.
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Employee training improves piglet-survival rates
An employee-training program focused on online training followed by tracked, in-barn verification experiences helped a start-up farm achieve top piglet-survival rates, according to a study.
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Training staff to spot sick pigs early leads to higher performance, lower mortality
Pig health is critical for maintaining animal welfare and ensuring a steady supply of safe and affordable pork.
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PCR falls short in monitoring PRRSV transport biosecurity
Transport biosecurity is a growing priority as evidence shows that contaminated livestock trailers are a significant risk in spreading viruses between herds.
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Antibiotic use at weaning can reduce acute illness in pigs
The transition into the nursery phase for just-weaned pigs presents many challenges as they adapt to a new diet, a new environment and increased competition. Young pigs often need some extra help.
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The big imposter: Senecavirus A prompts frequent false alarms at Minnesota pork plant
Employees at the Hormel pork-processing plant in Austin, Minn., well understand the drill for a foreign animal disease (FAD) investigation.
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Two tactics to reduce stillborns and improve piglet survival
Two midwestern sow operations recently discussed how each achieves high piglet-survival rates by using different techniques to attend farrowing.
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PCV2: Future considerations for an evolving virus
Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) may not be a new virus challenge for pork producers and swine veterinarians, but it remains a constant challenge.
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Three simple, effective ways to help hogs beat the heat this summer
Third in a series - For many reasons, including historically warmer weather and the fact that sows now produce bigger litters, pigs are more susceptible to heat stress, which could potentially affect...
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Heat stress: How much does it drain your pigs and profits?
First in a series - Each year, heat stress costs US pig farmers about $900 million in revenues — about twice the amount lost as a result of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus
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Pig Health Today lines up video interviews with top experts at WPX
At least 30 swine-health experts and trend watchers will be interviewed on camera over the next three days as part of Pig Health Today’s news coverage of the 2018 World Pork Expo.
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ALL HEALTH, ALL THE TIME
Pig Health Today, the world’s only news website and magazine focused exclusively on swine health, will mark its first anniversary this week at World Pork Expo.
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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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Special edition of Pig Health Today captures presentations from 2-day PRRS conference
Pig Health Today has published a free, 32-page special report, “Framing the Future of PRRS,” with news summaries of eight presentations by veterinarians and scientists specializing in porcine...
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Retailers setting their sights on pain management in pig production
Although antibiotics and sow housing have remained center stage in recent years, retailers are increasingly putting pressure on producers to address pain management as part of their...
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Dietary alternatives to antibiotics show mixed results in ISU research review
Given the task to find and review research on dietary alternatives for sub-therapeutic antibiotic growth promotants, Wes Schweer and a team of pork-industry experts didn’t know what to expect.
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ESPHM 2018 to focus on global issues in swine health
Swine veterinarians, researchers and industry leaders from around the world will gather at the European Symposium of Porcine Health Management (ESPHM), to be held May 9-11, 2018 in Barcelona, Spain.
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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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Breeding sows without CD163 gene might ultimately eliminate PRRS virus
Sows without the CD163 gene are not only resistant to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus, they also give birth to healthy, normal piglets — a finding that could...
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IPIC targeting losses from sow mortality
Healthy and productive sows help ensure profitable and efficient herds. So, when the sow mortality rate due to pelvic organ prolapse started to increase throughout the industry for no apparent...
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SPECIAL REPORT, Day 3: News reports and interviews from AASV
The 2018 American Association of Swine Veterinarians is under way. Our editors are onsite, covering sessions and capturing interviews for future posts. Here's a look back at our 2017 coverage (Part 3...
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SPECIAL REPORT, Day 2: News reports and interviews from AASV
The 2018 American Association of Swine Veterinarians is under way. Our editors are onsite, covering sessions and capturing interviews for future posts. Here's a look back at our 2017 coverage (Part 2...
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US pork industry’s first vaccine with two PCV2 genotypes announced at AASV
The US pork industry’s first vaccine to include two genotypes of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) — 2a and 2b — was announced on the first day of the American Association of Swine...
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SPECIAL REPORT, Day 1: News reports and interviews from AASV
The 2018 American Association of Swine Veterinarians is under way. Our editors are onsite, covering sessions and capturing interviews for future posts. Here's a look back at our 2017 coverage (Part 1...
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Production specialists urged to share insights on no-antibiotics programs, animal welfare
Antibiotics are important for maintaining animal health, but their use has come under scrutiny in recent years due to the rise of antibiotic resistance globally.
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On the road again? Download Pig Health Today podcasts before you go
Most of Pig Health Today’s video interviews with leading health experts and other opinion leaders can now be downloaded as podcasts and listened to on mobile devices or through audio systems of...
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Steps to keep the incidence of stillborns at bay
by Megan Schnur, DVM Carthage Veterinary Service, Ltd. Carthage, Illinois
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New forms of swine influenza pose tough but manageable challenges
New strains of the swine influenza virus continue to emerge, making it difficult for pork producers to manage, two experts who specialize in the disease of food animals said at a recent webinar...
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Individual pig care offers path to better health, uniformity
Making pig uniformity part of the management strategy from birth can maximize profitability throughout the growth cycle.
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New claim provides flexible dosing for M. hyo medication
Pork producers battling swine respiratory disease associated with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyo) now have more flexibility when using Lincomix® (lincomycin hydrochloride) Type A medicated...
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Calls to cut antibiotics could hurt pig health, vet warns
Calls to ban antibiotics for disease protection in pig and other livestock systems could damage animal welfare and compromise the United States’ food system, industry leaders say.
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What to expect during an on-farm CSI audit
An on-farm visit by an auditor will likely be routine for pork producers in the future. Knowing what an auditor expects and what pork producers can do during the audit will help prepare for a...
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Pig Health Today launches mobile app
Pig Health Today, the world’s only news website focused entirely on swine health, welfare and sustainability, has partnered with sponsor Zoetis to launch a mobile app for Apple and Android devices.
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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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Urine sampling can reliably detect penicillin residues in sows
Urine sampling is a reliable way to detect procaine penicillin G (PPG) residues prior to processing and may help producers avoid processing-plant violations, according to Locke A. Karriker, DVM, a...
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USDA, industry groups take issue with WHO’s latest statement on poultry, livestock antibiotics
The USDA’s chief scientist and several scientific and industry organizations took issue with the World Health Organization’s recent news release recommending that poultry and livestock...
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Accurate Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae diagnosis challenging but essential
The diagnosis of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyo) infection remains challenging but can be made with confidence when a systematic approach is applied and the clinical picture aligns with laboratory...
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ISU scientists pinpoint indicators of acute pain in neonatal pigs
Indicators of acute pain in piglets have been identified by researchers from Iowa State University (ISU).
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SHIC matrix weighs the impact of emerging swine diseases
As porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and Seneca Valley virus surfaced within the US swine herd in recent years, it underscored the threat posed by emerging and foreign animal diseases.
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How 50 swine vets plan to manage seasonal respiratory disease in the new VFD era
For as long as any pork producer can remember, fall’s arrival traditionally was a signal to add a respiratory antibiotic to the grower-finisher rations or, at the very least, pulse feed a...
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PCV MH vaccines provide equal protection in study, but lung lesions, ADG, final weight differ
Three porcine circovirus (PCV) vaccines compared in a recent study equally protected pigs against PCV type 2d and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, but there were some significant differences in gross...
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Urine-sampling options make it easier to evaluate gilt and sow health
Urine samples are an effective but underutilized diagnostic tool for evaluating the nutritional, physiological and health status of gilts and sows.
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Scientists aim to breed out sow aggression
Scientists at Michigan State University (MSU) are hoping to help pig producers improve herd welfare thanks to a $1 million project aimed at finding ways to breed out sow aggression.
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More than 900 swine-health professionals from 20 countries expected at 2017 Leman conference
More than 900 swine veterinarians, producers and industry leaders from at least 20 countries will attend the annual Allen D. Leman Swine Conference...
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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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PEDV and other pathogens survive in feed for weeks
In 2013-2014, infection of pig farms with PEDV was a frequent event, even in farms using the highest level of biosecurity. In an effort to determine how this could happen, Scott Dee, DVM, began...
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Gut bacteria deserve renewed focus
With the FDA’s new veterinary feed directive (VFD) rules changing the way some feed-grade antimicrobials are used on the farm, other options are gaining more attention.
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Understanding risks for M. hyo disease can help protect US swine herds
By Maria Jose Clavijo, DVM, PhD Research Assistant Professor Department of Veterinary Diagnostics and Production Animal Medicine College of Veterinary Medicine Iowa State University, Ames,...
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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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Can soluble dietary fiber reduce the need for antimicrobials in nursery diets?
Increased soluble fiber in pig diets shows promise as an alternative for growth-promoting antimicrobials in nursery diets, according to Eric Burrough, DVM, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, Iowa State...
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Prevent the spread of disease by properly cleaning water lines
One of the most basic — yet often overlooked — elements of pork production is water. A clean, safe palatable water supply ensures adequate hydration, encourages feed consumption and helps prevent...
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Keep opportunistic bacterial challenges in pigs at bay
Bacterial challenges facing pigs can be traced back to other shortfalls that weaken their immune system.
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Sow parity has no effect on incidence and timing of influenza in piglets
Sow parity appears to have no effect on the incidence and timing of influenza infection in piglets, indicates a study presented at the 2017 annual meeting of the American Association of Swine...
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Colostrum may be best sample for PCV2 on sow farms
Colostrum may be the best sample to test for determining whether porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is present in sow herds, according to researchers at Iowa State University (ISU).
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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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Secure Pork Supply plan seeks to minimize disruption from foreign animal diseases
The National Pork Board, with major support from USDA, is creating a Secure Pork Supply plan to help America’s pig farmers respond quickly and successfully to a major threat, such as a foreign...
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PEDV outbreaks prompt a ‘CSI Pipestone’ investigation
When PEDV devastated the US hog industry in 2013, the Pipestone System remained fairly unscathed, with only a couple of farms experiencing outbreaks. Their luck changed in January 2014.
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Pig Health Today website now online, offering ‘all health, all the time’
Pig Health Today, a new website focused solely on news and information related to swine health, was launched today to help the US and global pork industries stay on top of the latest on disease...
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Fine-tune ventilation, evaporation to combat heat stress in pigs
Without the ability to sweat, pigs must rely on conduction, convection, radiation, and respiration/evaporation to remove body heat. Forcing air across a wet pig — the process of convection and...
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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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Neurological disease in pigs linked to Sapelovirus
An outbreak of a severe, atypical neurologic disease in 11-week-old pigs has been linked to a novel sapelovirus and may be the first case of its kind in the US, according to a recently published...
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Flushing feed mill with treated rice hulls reduces PEDV risk
The porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) taught swine veterinarians and producers many hard lessons about feed management. Not only can the deadly virus be transported by feed ingredients, PEDV...
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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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Time to reboot disease surveillance
US pork production has gone through dramatic changes over recent decades, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the challenge that infectious disease presents. Swine veterinarians, researchers and...
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Oropharyngeal swabs offer alternative for PRRSV diagnosis in wean-age pigs
Taking oropharyngeal swabs — that is, samples from the tonsils — appears to be an effective alternative means for detecting PRRSV in wean-age pigs, especially when the prevalence of infection is...
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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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Oral fluids offer practical on-farm disease surveillance
Monitoring the spread of a pathogen is one part of disease surveillance. But early identification is another part — arguably with growing importance as millions of pigs move across state lines each...
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Commonly used disinfectants can vary widely in efficacy
Commonly used disinfectants can have substantially different efficacy and should be tested against the pathogen of concern — and under the conditions of use — before they’re used on swine...
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Snout wipes shown to be practical, efficient method for detecting swine influenza A
Snout wipes are a practical and efficient method of detecting influenza A virus in swine (IAV-S), according to a study presented at the 2017 annual meeting of the American Association of Swine...
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Piglet pain control during castration still needs answers
Castrating male piglets to prevent boar taint at market age is a common occurrence on US hog farms. However, as consumer interest in on-farm practices and animal welfare grows, producers will need...
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Demonstration farm helping pork industry see benefits of pig-castration alternative
A group of 250 intact male piglets arrives at the demonstration farm ready to be the face of a new type of pork production.
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Aureomix S finding its niche, and then some, in new VFD era
Feed medications used for many years to manage common diseases of swine now require a veterinary-client-patient relationship plus a veterinary feed directive (VFD) before they can be administered. ...
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Boar-taint vaccination associated with less male aggression in Australian study
Boar-taint vaccination improved the welfare of male pigs kept under commercial conditions by inhibiting sexual and aggressive behavior, according to new research from Australia.
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Benefits of castration alternative presented at global pig-health event
Two world-renowned experts discussed the economic and welfare benefits of using a novel castration alternative at the 2016 International Pig Veterinary Society conference in Dublin.
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