Surveys of U.S. Midwest pork producers and veterinarians are providing insight into practices that increase the risks of PRRS transmission or can help mitigate those risks. Surveys conducted by Iowa State University with funding provided through the Swine Health Information Center Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program, in partnership with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and Pork Checkoff, which looked at PRRS are outlined in a paper published in Veterinary Sciences.
SHIC Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton says surveys were conducted in April to identify factors that increase the risk of transmitting PRRS and strategies that reduce those risks.
Quote-Dr. Lisa Becton-Swine Health Information Center:
When the survey was assessed, there were things that were associated with a higher likelihood of an outbreak.Some of those areas included transportation of unknown PRRS status pigs to another farm.The utilization of rendering for mortalities was 6.47 times more likely to be associated with an outbreak.Worker cohabitation for different sites was also associated with an increased chance of a PRRS outbreak.
Some areas that had a decreased likelihood of association include having defined employee parking areas and also owned exclusive use of manure pumping equipment and that equipment dedicated to one location.A lot of key areas for focus include increased targeted biosecurity measures by farm.A lot can be generalised but each farm really does need to go through and compare what these areas are in relation to their own specific procedures that are performed.
Other things such as focus on transportation, having down time, preventing sick animals being transported or transporting animals of unknown status are some of the things identified within the survey that could be immediately acted upon to help reduce the likelihood of herds breaking with PRRS.
The Veterinary Sciences paper can be accessed through SHIC's January eNewsletter at swinehealth.org.
Source : Farmscape.ca