Pleasant early-autumn weather can create a false sense of security, but fall farming activities and temperature swings often signal disease challenges ahead. September diagnostic data showed the typical seasonal rise in viral respiratory and enteric diseases, including increased detections of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), active porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) variants, and seasonal influenza.
“People are harvesting, moving site to site and pumping manure,” says Dr. Lisa Becton, executive director of the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC). “We observe a lot of fluctuations in temperature, so seeing more activity in viral disease detections is something to definitely watch. Fall can be a signal of what we may see in the winter. “
Grow-finish and wean-to-harvest facilities continue to be the most vulnerable sector for pathogen transmission and persistence, Becton says.
Pathogen-by-Pathogen Breakdown
- Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV)
“PEDV has really increased in September, especially in our wean-to-harvest sites,” Becton says.
The report shows a significant, expected upward spike in September from an overall 4.87% positivity in August to 6.76% in September. The biggest spike and heaviest concentration are in the wean-to-market category at 11.92% compared to 8.68% last month.
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