ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – To provide pork producers and veterinarians the practical management protocols and a comprehensive information resource to help them achieve more effective prevention and control of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI), introduces SOURCE.
According to Greg Cline, DVM, technical manager for enteric disease products at BIVI, SOURCE is a six-step systematic approach to PED prevention and control featuring one of the industry’s most complete information resources on PED. It was developed based on the company’s decades of experience and extensive research with other highly infectious swine diseases.
“SOURCE is a logical, science-based approach to PED control and management. This approach and its principles have proven highly effective in helping the industry manage other costly swine diseases,” Cline says.
“We’ve taken proven concepts and the benefits of a holistic approach to analyzing disease goals, risk and management, and added much of what we’ve recently learned about PED, to develop sound, practical management protocols that producers can implement into their specific operations.”
SOURCE is an acronym, with each letter representing one of six steps in the protocol: State desired goals; Obtain current status; Understand current risk factors; Reduce risk factors; Construct solutions; and Execute and monitor solutions.
“The first step – state desired goals – is often overlooked and probably the most important protocol as it ultimately impacts all the other steps in the process,” Cline explains. “It helps producers answer critical questions, for example, do you want to eliminate the virus? Do you want to diminish the effects of the virus? Or do you want to prevent the virus from entering the herd?"
Each step of SOURCE helps producers to objectively evaluate all components of their production systems, assess various risk factors and, based on that information, develop and execute proper management solutions that best fit their farm goals.
SOURCE also is a consolidated information resource that utilizes BIVI’s extensive swine technical and diagnostic expertise. The site includes links to additional university and industry sites and an interactive risk analysis and herd management plan. Because the site is an always-evolving information platform, any new PED data and information will be shared as it becomes available. The company has plans to expand SOURCE later this year to include expanded risk analysis and links to additional resources.
“No other animal health company brings together the breadth of technical information, field-applicable research and management protocols in a single program to help producers and veterinarians better manage PED,” Cline adds. “We’re confident SOURCE will serve as a valuable resource for producers and veterinarians dealing with PED.”
Source: Boehringer Ingelheim