A professor with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine says the latest option on the radar for controlling Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome is the PRRS resistant pig. First identified in the late 1980s, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome is a viral disease that affects all age groups but it tends to be most severe in sow farms in piglets although grow finish pigs with secondary diseases can also be severely affected and it can be transmitted through many routes including from pig to pig, through feeders or waterers, through transportation or through the air.
Dr. John Harding, a professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, says, whether it's for PRRS or any of the many other diseases that affect pigs, biosecurity is the number one line of defense.
Quote-Dr. John Harding-Western College of Veterinary Medicine:
In terms of PRRS, we've looked at the various options that are available for control but the one big one that's on the radar now, particularly in the U.S. but hopefully soon in Canada is the PRRS resistant pig that has resulted from the gene editing technologies. The advantages of this pig is that it will not be infected with PRRS.
The reason it will not be affected is the receptor that the virus uses to infect the pig and then replicate in the cells has been changed so that the virus can no longer bind to that receptor. It's a rather technical description that we get into at a different time but suffice to say the main advantage is it is not susceptible to PRRS.
Whether we want to support the technology or not for PRRS and other diseases I think is a decision that we all need to individually make. In my opinion the science is good. Public perception regarding its use and the market risks domestically and internationally are certainly a concern and things that we all need to think about.
Dr. Harding encourages anyone interested in learning more about the development of the PRRS resistant pig to visit prrsresistantpig.com.
Source : Farmscape.ca