Biosecurity
Hong Kong authorities ordered the culling of all 3,000 pigs in a herd after the African swine fever virus was discovered to be spreading for the first time in one of the city’s farms.
As PRRS viruses continue to evolve, producers are often faced with a difficult decision regarding the sow farm’s long-term PRRS status.
The COVID-19 pandemic caught our world by surprise. That’s one reason why the Swine Health Information Center is focused on preventing or preparing for emerging diseases. No one wants to be surprised like that again.
Chinese scientists have found a natural mutation in the African swine fever virus they say could be less deadly than the strain that ravaged the world’s largest pig herd in 2018 and 2019.
A veterinarian weighs in on filtration systems and shares how air filtration can reduce outbreaks of disease like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome.
If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught the country anything, it’s that there is a tremendous amount of synergy between the circumstances of a pandemic involving humans and those involving animals.
Markets for pork produced without antibiotics continue to grow. But this method of production is not for every farm, cautions Michael Pierdon, VMD, veterinarian with Four Star Veterinary Service.
A new form of African swine fever identified in Chinese pig farms is most likely caused by illicit vaccines, industry insiders say, a fresh blow to the world’s largest pork producer.
COVID-19 vaccine development is progressing at an unprecedented pace. A new vaccine candidate has produced a strong antibody response in mice and pigs that could be vital to further development of COVID-19 vaccines.
Wild pig populations in Canada continue to expand rapidly and are completely out of control in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta. A new tool may help control this invasive species. Here’s why you should take note.
The three main charges of the Swine Health Information Center haven’t changed throughout the past five years, but the stakes are getting higher as foreign animal disease threats increase pressure on the industry.
A new $11.65-million investment by the USDA will fund 14 projects to help farmers and private landowners trap and control feral swine.
Porcine astrovirus type 3 has been causing central nervous system disease for at least a decade. Experts agree it’s difficult to diagnose and manage. Unfortunately, there’s not a playbook for this devastating virus.
An arriving passenger was ‘sniffed’ out by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection K-9 at Newark Liberty International Airport, who was trying to import 88 pounds of homemade pork sausages into the U.S.
A recent change in regulatory status may speed up commercial work on African swine fever (ASF) vaccine candidates, said Douglas Gladue, a USDA ARS microbiologist at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center.
African swine fever (ASF) numbers continue to climb in wild boar in Germany. The latest discovery in a wild boar is suspected in a new region in the country.
Invasive species councils in Montana and Washington are serious about preventing Canadian feral pigs from crossing into the western United States.
The contagious African swine fever (ASF) virus has been reported in Manipur, India.
The swine industry is no stranger to dealing with disease. As human doctors battled COVID-19, the pork industry didn’t let up on its fight against diseases that threaten pigs. Here’s a look back.
Cara Haden, associate swine veterinarian with Pipestone Veterinary Services, offers three key questions to ask yourself as you consider the role of antibiotics in your operation in 2021.
From feral swine damage prevention to foot-and-mouth disease vaccine purchases, USDA APHIS has been focused on critical work for animal agriculture amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are five noteworthy achievements.
South Korea authorities are building more fences to raise its guard against the deadly African swine fever virus. Since October 2018, 883 cases of ASF have been discovered in wild boars in border areas.
As African swine fever rages in Vietnam, the U.S. pork industry, through a $1.7 million USDA FAS grant, is studying the virus in real time as the disease breaks on farms across Vietnam. Here’s an update on the latest.
An RNA genetic sequencing method studied by researchers at the University of Minnesota finds that rapid, unbiased pathogen detection can be achieved at the species and strain level.
As the dust settles on a difficult 2020, the National Pork Producers Council is gearing up for a busy 2021. A new administration and congressional turnover means educating policymakers about pork producer priorities.
Behind the walls of a hulking industrial compound in rural China, top pig producer Muyuan Foods is trying to raise more hogs on a single site than any company in the world - a risky investment with deadly ASF lingering.
Pigs will no longer be allowed to fly inside the cabin on U.S. airlines as emotional support animals under a new rule from the Department of Transportation. Neither will peacocks or alligators or monkeys.
Multi-disciplinary collaboration by academia, industry partners and the veterinary community is improving the diagnostics for and management of Streptococcus suis, a key endemic bacterial pathogen of pigs.
Officials have confirmed another 42 cases of ASF in wild boar in eastern Germany, the state government of Brandenburg said, as an outbreak of the disease that has halted German pork exports to Asia persists.
The demonstration video is part of an effort to help producers prepare for a foreign animal disease outbreak.