The Swine report

SHIC-Funded Study Quantifies Trailer Contamination Risk at Harvest Plants

To better understand how swine viruses spread during transport, the Swine Health Information Center funded a Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program study focused on the unloading process at the harvest plant, in partnership with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research and Pork Checkoff. Led by Drs. Cesar Corzo and Lucas Ferreira at the University of Minnesota, the study tracked the presence of four major pathogens affecting the swine industry as a method to assess trailer contamination dynamics during unloading. Additional objectives were to identify key factors such as season, cleaning practices, and driver behaviors that influence contamination risk. Proper washing, disinfection, and drying of trailers significantly reduce viral contamination risk, while seasonal conditions strongly influence virus presence, requiring adjusted biosecurity strategies year-round. Read the industry summary of study #24-077 here. Harvest facilities are recognized as important nodes in the Read More

USDA Confirms New World Screwworm Detections in Texas and New Mexico in June 2026

In a press release dated June 3, 2026, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in a 3-week-old calf located in Zavala County, Texas. This was the first confirmation since NWS was eradicated from the US in the 1960s, aside from a localized outbreak in Key deer in Florida in 2016-2017. Additional NWS detections have increased to six total domestic animal cases as of June 9, 2026, including four cattle, one goat and one dog case. The single case in a pet dog was identified in Lea County, New Mexico, on June 8, 2026, highlighting potential routes for further spread of the pest. NWS does not pose a risk to food safety and USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service ensures the nation’s food supply is safe. After the re-emergence of NWS in Mexico in November 2024, the Swine Health Information Center has closely monitored NWS spread, hosted a webinar on the pest, and developed a new fact sheet for swine producers and other industry sRead More

Define the Data That Matters and Stay Focused

Ask a group of producers which data matters most, and you’ll get a wide range of answers. That’s because every operation is different, with its own structure, priorities and goals. Despite that, many producers still believe they need to collect as much data as possible. In reality, better results come from focusing on the right data and executing well. We regularly see operations achieve significant insights from relatively small datasets, provided the data is accurate and consistent. More Than Feed Feed costs naturally receive a lot of attention given their share of total expenses. Metrics around consumption, pricing trends and efficiency are critical, but herd health data is just as valuable. Understanding current health conditions and identifying changes early can have a significant impact on both performance and profitability. Access to daily treatment and mortality data has improved considerably. With timely insights, producers can detect subtle shifts that might otherwise go Read More