Saskatchewan Pork Producers Strengthen Biosecurity to Combat PRRS Threat

Saskatchewan’s pork producers are taking proactive steps to guard against the spread of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), an infection causing devastating reproductive and respiratory issues in hogs. With reports of increasing cases in other parts of North America, producers in the province are doubling down on biosecurity measures to protect their herds.

PRRS, first identified in the United States in 1987, has been a persistent challenge for the pork industry, particularly in pig-dense regions like the U.S. Midwest, southeastern Manitoba, and parts of Ontario. These areas have experienced seasonal flare-ups of PRRS, with the most recent mutation proving especially destructive.

Florian Possberg, a partner with Polar Pork Farms, highlights the stark contrast between these regions and Saskatchewan: