Latest News From Hog Health

A new diagnostic test can provide rapid results pen-side, a huge advantage over PCR and other tests which may take up to five days to return results, says Alveo Technologies, Inc., and NYtor B.V.

The livestock industry needs a comprehensive, cohesive plan to address the virus. Producers, their employees and veterinarians need clear answers and support from U.S. agricultural leadership, moving forward.

Training your employees to identify illness and lameness early can improve sow longevity. Here are 4 tips to incorporate in your operation.

Ensuring the health and safety of our pigs is a top priority for every producer. While we often focus on biosecurity measures at sow farms, it's just as crucial to implement strong protocols in wean-to-finish barns. 

Understanding the differences in the microbiome between light and heavy market hogs may provide insights into optimizing growth performance, feed efficiency and sustainability of the swine industry.

Defining the U.S. regions at greatest risk for JEV is an important step towards U.S. prevention and preparedness as well as allocation of efforts for surveillance.

Knowing there are many methods for swine disease spread, the objective of a SHIC-funded study was to increase understanding around the risk of vehicles traveling to and from swine farms for disease transmission.

Steve Troxle, state commissioner of agriculture, said he is waiting for more diagnostic information from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory and will work collaboratively with North Carolina dairy farmers.

Renewal of the Global Swine Disease Monitoring Reports means the program will continue and expand in 2024 with a new online dashboard to display the global distribution of priority swine diseases in near real-time.

When assessing the health of your barns, certain factors can enhance productivity and profitability. Balancing cost management with pig health requires a holistic approach evaluating each animal but also the whole barn.

A $1 million Food & Agriculture Research grant has been awarded to Kansas State University to develop safe and rapidly deployable vaccines to prevent African swine fever virus.

The American Association of Bovine Practitioners is making the name change, as it more accurately reflects the issue.

In the latestl report to the Swine Health Information Center, Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Project (MSHMP) leader Cesar Corzo of the University of Minnesota details project outcomes for its three primary objectives.

Kay Russo, DVM, Novonesis technical services manager for dairy and poultry, emphasized the situation is rapidly evolving and more clarity will come with time as researchers learn more.

Sid Miller, commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture, says the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza impacting beef cattle in the state's panhandle – where dairy cows have been infected – is minimal.

Is the U.S. pork industry prepared for a Japanese encephalitis virus outbreak? Here's how a newly developed diagnostic test could help.

To understand the threat HPAI poses to domestic livestock species, and to inform pork producers on how to reduce the risk of infection on-farm, SHIC and AASV will host a webinar on influenza A viruses on April 19.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reports that a human case of bird flu has been confirmed in Texas and identified in a person who had direct exposure to dairy cattle presumed to be infected with the disease.

Now that the mystery illness impacting some dairy herds has been revealed as the same strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza that has been impacting the U.S. poultry flock, pork producers are asking questions.

Merck Animal Health announced it has received license approval from the USDA for Sequivity with Microsol Diluvac Forte adjuvant prescription vaccine for use in gilts and sows. 

Ashley Johnson and Jana Morgan were named the 2024 recipients of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation Hogg Scholarship.

USDA says genetic sequencing revealed the mystery illness impacting Texas dairies is the same strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) that's been in the U.S. The virus is carried by wild waterfowl.

When Cameron Swallows heard his sister crying, he knew he had a big problem to solve.

Brazil recognized 16 states and the country's federal district as areas free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination. The measure is part of an effort to make Brazil free of the disease without vaccination by 2026.

Of the eight accomplishments USDA APHIS recently acknowledged in their efforts to protect U.S. agriculture and natural resources in 2023, three specifically address the U.S. pork industry.

In January, SHIC issued a request for proposals inviting submissions to specifically address 11 research priorities in its 2024 Plan of Work. Research outcomes from the 43 projects funded will help producers, SHIC says.

Porcine circovirus (PCV) presents a significant swine disease challenge, says the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC). That's why it is included in SHIC’s 2024 Plan of Work as a priority pathogen.

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.

Challenging times in the market offer valuable opportunities to reexamine risk management strategies for feed inputs.

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.

The American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation awarded scholarships totaling $25,000 to 15 veterinary students who participated in the AASV Student Seminar at the Annual Meeting.

As part of its mission to fund research with direct application to the profession, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation awarded more than $100,000 in funding for research.

Madeline Hall, a Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, was awarded the David A. Schoneweis Scholarship during the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Annual Meeting.

Rodger Main, DVM, was honored with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ Outstanding Swine Academic of the Year award for his excellence in teaching, research and service to the swine veterinary profession. 

Post-weaning scours is a big topic of discussion. For a production system with commingled sow farms, even with like-genetic and epidemic disease status, there is always opportunity for improvement. 

Nathan Winkelman, DVM, was named the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ Meritorious Service award winner.

Paul Yeske, DVM, was named the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ 2024 Howard Dunne Memorial Award recipient during the association’s 55th Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn.

Twelve $7,500 grants were awarded by the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation Feb. 26 during the American Association of Swine Veterinarians 55th Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn.

Angela Baysinger, DVM, was installed as president of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians during the association’s 55th Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn.

Attention to sow longevity is so important because of the multiple ways it can affect a producer’s economics.

Previous studies have shown evidence of porcine astrovirus 4 in respiratory tract lesions of pigs, but the direct contribution of PoAstV4 to clinical disease is poorly understood. Here's how a new study could help.

Meet the AASV Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year honored during the 55th American Association of Swine Veterinarians Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn.

Melissa Farber Billing, DVM, was recognized for her proficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of veterinary service as well as her tireless service to the American Association of Swine Veterinarians.

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.

Holden Farms' Veterinarian Matt Allerson was honored as the 2024 Swine Practitioner of the Year by the American Association of Swine Veterinarians during the association’s annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn.

Merck Animal Health and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation awarded more than $50,000 in scholarships to 10 veterinary students for 2024. Here's a list of the winners.

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.

A new feature in AgView may be just what you are looking for to save time and be more efficient on the farm.