It’s almost time for one of the show pig industry’s biggest events of the year. Families are making their checklists, packing their trailers and preparing to leave for The Exposition in Indianapolis, Ind., hosted by the National Swine Registry.
“We’re really excited for the Exposition and have over 2,900 head entered from almost 1,000 exhibitors. We’re going to utilize the new swine barn for most of our shows this year,” says Clay Zwilling, CEO of the National Swine Registry. “The other exciting change we’ve implemented is an abridged schedule.”
One of the main reasons for this shorter schedule is to minimize the number of days pigs are commingled at a show. Researchers at The Ohio State University conducted research studies and discovered that limiting swine exhibitions to 72 hours or less reduces the risk of influenza because there is a decreased overall viral burden in the environment.
Although influenza levels are low in the show pig population now, Daniel Hendrickson, DVM, with Four Star Veterinary Service, expects that to change as more shows and fairs kick off around the country. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) continues to be the No. 1 diagnosis in show pigs and commercial pigs right now.
More virulent PRRS strains are striking herds, noting that the April PRRS virus activity reported in the Swine Disease Reporting System (SDRS) monitoring program for finishing sites, compared to previous years, was the highest since 2018, explains Lisa Becton, assistant director of the Swine Health Information Center.
With these higher levels, it’s more important than ever to make sure that pigs are healthy before they get on the trailer and to do everything possible to keep pigs healthy when they come back home after a stock show.
Before You Load Up for the Show
Daniel Hendrickson, DVM, with Four Star Veterinary Service, says the most important thing exhibitors should do is leave sick animals at home. Never take an animal that has a fever or doesn’t seem 100% healthy, he says.
“I know none of us want to do that,” Hendrickson says. “My kids work hard. The last thing we want to do is leave an animal that we’ve worked on for the last few months at home. But not only is it going to be a risk for that animal, but it also puts the other animals you are taking at risk because they’re in closer proximity and every other animal in the barn.”
He also recommends that exhibitors vaccinate their pigs, a practice that has been increasingly adopted among show pig producers recently. The National Swine Registry requires all breeding swine be vaccinated against erysipelas and leptospirosis (6-way), including L. bratislava. NSR highly recommends that all animals, including market animals, are vaccinated against swine influenza.
“Remember that all the vaccines we use today are built for the commercial swine industry with durations of immunity for five months,” Hendrickson says. “In today’s show pig world, even though the pigs that are being sold and purchased have all likely been vaccinated for circovirus, mycoplasma vaccine, influenza and PRRS, by the time some of these pigs get to the show they may be five to six months old.”
By this time, the pig’s immunity curve is starting to fall off on some of those vaccines, he adds. Boosting those vaccines can make a big impact and help get their immunity as high as possible before being around other pigs. Hendrickson recommends giving a booster at least two weeks prior to the show.
“As that immunity trails off, those animals become more susceptible,” he says. “Just like human flu vaccines, no vaccine is perfect. But, they will diminish overall severity of the illness and how much an animal will reshed virus back into the environment.”
Minimize Exposure at the Show
Hendrickson believes one of the beneficial practices people have done recently is lining their pens with divider boards, basically creating a barrier between the pigs.
“This helps minimize nose-to-nose contact,” he says. “When the pigs are going to the washrack or the show ring, exhibitors have control of those animals, so they are not getting that nose-to-nose contact like they were if they were just in the pens.”
Hendrickson also says the trend for people to show off their trailer at jackpot shows also has helped minimize contact between pigs at the shows.
“Just keeping those animals in their own environment as long as possible, going to the ring show and then coming back to their trailer diminishes the time they’re in contact with everyone else,” he adds.
Don’t share equipment, especially water buckets and equipment that are coming into contact with the pig’s snout.
After the Show
Isolating animals that have been at a show from animals still at home in the barn that have not been at a show is critical. Seven days’ downtime at home is necessary for pigs to get over shedding influenza virus.
“I know a lot of people have one barn, so it makes a little hard to completely isolate pigs that were at a show,” he says. “But, you can make a difference by moving the set of animals that stays home to the far end of the barn or group their pens together. Then, when you bring home the other set of pigs, keep them on opposite sides the best you can. It’s not perfect, but you are still creating a barrier.
Remember to power wash and disinfect everything when you get home, Hendrickson says.
It’s a good idea to shower, change clothes and wear different shoes to your barn than the ones you wore at the show. The more layers of biosecurity you implement, the more you will protect your show pigs, he says.
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