Swine Worker Precautions During Suspected Outbreaks of Influenza in Swine

Jun 16, 2016

To assess the behavior and precautions that swine workers take during suspected influenza outbreaks in swine, six commercial swine farms in the Midwest U.S. region were visited when influenza outbreaks were suspected in herds during the fall/winter of 2012-2013. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and type of task performed by swine workers were recorded based on farm representative reports.

Between one to two workers were working on the day of each visit and spent approximately 25 minutes performing work-related tasks that placed them in close contact with the swine. The most common tasks reported were walking the aisles (27%), handling pigs (21%), and handling equipment (21%). The most common PPE were boots (100%), heavy rubber gloves (75%), and dedicated nondisposable clothing (74%). Use of N95 respirators was reported at three farms. Hand hygiene practices were common in most of the farms, but reportedly performed for only 20% to 25% of tasks.

Source: AASV

Video: Heat Stress Killing Profits? - Dr. Jeff Hansen

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Jeff Hansen from Elanco shares practical strategies to reduce heat stress in grow-finish pigs. He discusses how rising temperatures affect feed intake, growth, and carcass quality, and explains how nutritional tools, such as Skycis, and environmental adjustments can help maintain performance during high-stress periods.

Listen now on all major platforms! "Technologies that reduce heat or metabolic stress in pigs deliver the greatest value during summer, when growth is challenged and profit potential is highest.

" Meet the guest: Dr. Jeffrey Hansen / jeff-hansen-00b72322 is a Swine Technical Consultant at Elanco Animal Health. He holds a Ph.D. in Swine Nutrition from Kansas State University, along with degrees in Animal Science and Nutrition from Texas A&M University. With a passion for pork fat quality, feed management, and production efficiency, Dr. Hansen brings decades of swine nutrition and technical expertise to the industry.