U. of Saskatchewan Research Confirms Bacterial Cause of Porcine Ear Necrosis

Dec 08, 2025

New research from the University of Saskatchewan has identified the primary bacterial agent responsible for porcine ear-tip necrosis, a painful and costly condition affecting pigs in every major pork-producing region.

Ear-tip necrosis, first described in the 1950s, causes the ear tissue to turn black and deteriorate. For decades, theories pointed to mycotoxins, porcine circovirus, and other contributing factors—but no definitive cause had been proven.

A research team led by Dr. Matheus (Mateus) Costa, associate professor at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and adjunct professor at Utrecht University, has now confirmed that Fusobacterium necrophorum is the direct cause of the disease.

Blind Trial Confirms Infectious Nature of the Disease
Supported by funding from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, researchers conducted a blind clinical trial in which pigs were artificially inoculated with Fusobacterium necrophorum and compared to uninoculated sentinel pigs.

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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.

“Precision livestock farming data can support producers, veterinarians, certifiers, and consumers by enabling improved monitoring, prediction, and decision-making across the entire production system.”

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.