Hayes: ASF Could Cost US Billions

Apr 08, 2020

By Dermot Hayes

A new study from Iowa State University and BarnTools, which calls itself “a digital biosecurity platform company,” estimates an outbreak of African swine fever in this country could cost at least $14 billion over two years and as much as $50 billion over 10 years. Iowa State University economist Dermot Hayes, one of the study’s authors, says the difference in the estimates comes from whether the virus is kept to the wild boar population or if it gets into the domestic pork supply.

“In either case, the take home for me is we need to keep this disease out of the country,” Hayes says, “and it’s worth spending a lot of money to do that.”

Source : iastate.edu

Video: Exploring Precision Data in Swine Production - Dr. Janice Siegford

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Janice Siegford from Michigan State University discusses how precision livestock farming data can support pig health, welfare, transparency, and decision making. She explains why data ownership, privacy, consumer perception, and cost sharing must be addressed as technology becomes more common on farms. Listen now on all major platforms.

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Meet the guest: Dr. Janice Siegford / janice-siegford-24318839 is a Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Animal Science at Michigan State University. Her expertise in animal welfare, neuroscience, and zoology supports research on pig behavior, stress resilience, and precision livestock farming. Her work explores early weaning, genetics, and stakeholder perspectives on technology adoption to improve pig care, health, and productivity. Learn more from Dr. Janice Siegford on The Swine it Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.