Although Japanese encephalitis virus has never been detected in the U.S., experts are paying close attention to it as JEV poses an emerging transboundary threat to domestic sow herds susceptible to viral infection.
It’s one thing to know how a disease pathogen affects a pig. It’s another thing to know how multiple disease pathogens affect a pig. A new study sheds light for producers.
U.S. pork producers approved a resolution to enhance the country’s live swine traceability system during the 2024 National Pork Industry Forum on March 7. Here's what it means for the industry.
Is the U.S. pork industry making progress in the area of biosecurity? Derald Holtkamp, DVM and professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University, says it depends on how you measure progress.
When outbreaks of APP15 were detected in Iowa finishers in late 2021, experts agreed they were unusual. In response, SHIC funded research to define the risk and mitigation of this emerging swine disease strain.
A new collaborative effort is helping fund rapid investigations of unexplained morbidity or mortality events in animals – unexpected deaths or illnesses that could signal emerging animal disease threats.
A variety of topics ranging from biosecurity breaches to PRRS kicked off conversations during the 2024 American Association of Swine Veterinarians annual meeting. Here’s a quick glimpse of what some experts had to say.
The laying hen industry shares similar risks to the pork industry regarding disease prevention. Versova's Craig Rowles shares practical examples from the egg industry that could work on your farm.
Understanding potential impacts of JEV on pork production is critical to protecting the health of the U.S. swine herd as well as mitigating the risk of this emerging disease. Here's what the pork industry is doing now.
Why is the U.S. pork industry living with PRRS? Pipestone's Cara Haden believes this virus is making it challenging for the U.S. to claim to be the "absolute best in the world." She says it's time to do something.
Swine producers are caught in belt-tightening measures testing the limits of their resourcefulness. Don't let the need to save money blind you to the importance of biosecurity for your operation. Here are ways to save.
Veterinarian advocates are urging congressional offices to support and cosponsor the Rural Veterinary Workforce Act and include the Healthy Dog Importation Act in the new farm bill. Here's why.
Large investor groups are putting increased pressure on major food service organizations to reduce antimicrobial use in their protein supply chains. Can gene editing help reduce antibiotic use?
PRRS has been holding the pork industry hostage for far too long. A new study shows improvements in swine herd biosecurity can reduce the incidence risk of PRRS.
There's no question the Swine Health Information Center got a lot done in 2023, and plans are underway to make 2024 even more productive. Here's an inside look with SHIC executive director Megan Niederwerder.
Although Paul Sundberg, DVM, is always one to turn the spotlight onto others, the pork industry wants to say thank you for his years of devotion to helping pork producers and pigs thrive.
A new study confirms the difficulty in eliminating viral RNA from a contaminated feed mill post-introduction and highlights the need for continued emphasis on biosecurity for preventing pathogen entry.
Former basketball coach John Wooden and swine health leader Paul Sundberg share at least one thing in common. They both define success by “never quite getting there.” Sundberg says trying to "get there" makes life fun.
The Swine Health Information Center’s Standardized Outbreak Investigation Program is now available online. It was introduced as a Word-based form to conduct outbreak investigations. Here's what you need to know.
Infectious diseases such as PED, PRRS and influenza can be transmitted through contaminated airborne particles. A variety of industries use technologies to control aerosolized emissions. An extensive review is now out.
Visual inspection is insufficient to ensure cleanliness and eliminate disease transmission risk due to microscopic viruses and bacteria. Here's what could help.
When it comes to preventing a FAD at your operation, remember you are not on your own. There are three levels that must work together to achieve success.
For the U.S. swine industry, 2023 has been a year most farmers would like to forget. However, this time, it's not because of disease issues. Here are three predictions for pig health in 2024 by Pipestone's Joel Nerem.
The U.S. pork industry has learned its lesson about paying attention to disease outbreaks in other countries. That's why a new website has been created about Japanese Encephalitis Virus that wreaked havoc in Australia.
As swine producers, you all pay a health tax at the end of the year, whether you know it or not. This tax is paid on every pig and reflects the cost of less-than-perfect health in an operation.
The history of wild pig hunts is filled with unusual stories, but the chase for a 750-lb. beast hiding in plain sight on a Mississippi farm ranks as a standalone account. Farming reality outshines fiction.
Ready or not, peak disease transmission season has arrived. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a frustrating and complicated disease. How prepared are your farm and team for PRRS season?
Emerging infectious diseases are a constant threat to the swine industry. Here's how SHIC is helping protect and mitigate emerging disease risks to the North American swine population.
Results of African swine fever research in Vietnam are helping inform prevention and preparedness efforts for the U.S. pork industry while helping with response and recovery efforts for the ASF epidemic in Vietnam.
Wild hog populations are continuing to spread and move north in the U.S. As one of the most destructive invasive animal species in the U.S., the significant increase in the wild hog population is a great concern.
Although foreign animal disease may be more likely to enter the country with the animals themselves, feed – including soybeans and corn – also raise concern in the livestock industry. Here are three ways to lessen risk.
When the sows stopped eating, the farm manager closed the feed line, preserved the feed in the bin, and called Scott Dee out to the farm. Little did Dee know that he was about to discover PRRS virus can live in feed.
A new study provides valuable insights into the diagnosis and prevalence of porcine circovirus type 3 in reproductive failure and surveillance cases submitted to the ISU-VDL as well as the synergism of PCV3.
For Anthony Novero, biosecurity has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. His dad managed a research sow farm in the 1980s, where showering in was a way of life before other farms adopted the practice.
It's time to raise user feeds within the Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection (AQI) program, NPPC says. The last fee increase was in 2015. The current fees no longer generate enough revenue to cover program costs.
“The public doesn’t realize what these animals are capable of,” says wildlife trapper James Dean. “Unfortunately, you’re going to see more and more reports of people getting hurt in wild pig encounters.”
Uncomplicating disease surveillance is a great opportunity for the swine industry. That’s why Hope Dohlman analyzed the level of detection of PRRSV material in wean-age piglets through the use of an absorbent mat.
Traceability is not a new concept, says National Pork Board chief veterinarian Dusty Oedekoven. He shares why its time for change, along with producers Joe Dykhuis and Alan Wulfekuhle and veterinarian Clayton Johnson.
Cross-contamination between samples is one of the most common pre-analytical errors and can cause misleading diagnostic results, says Casondra Snow, a first year DVM student at the University of Minnesota.
USDA APHIS recently updated several response plans and templates for the pork industry to utilize in the case of an African swine fever outbreak. Here's a look at what's new.
TELSVirus has the potential to support real-time surveillance of endemic and emergent viruses, while improving understanding of co-circulating viruses, their genetic diversity and how they impact swine production.
U.S. pork producers tasked NPPC to help update the existing swine traceability system. Swine producers, veterinarians, cull swine and breeding operators and show pig enthusiasts are asked to comment by Oct. 27.
Delegates voted on the first General Conference Committee that will serve as the federal advisory committee to USDA on swine health and the administration of US SHIP upon codification to a USDA program.
Experts are still trying to determine the origin of the African swine fever outbreak in Sweden, a minor pork exporter that holds only 1% of the swine herd in the European Union.
It costs a lot of money. It takes a lot of work. And if you do it perfectly, the result isn’t even visible at first. It’s no wonder it’s hard to convince people to do the right thing and follow biosecurity protocols.