Increased PRRS Infections In Breeding Herds Illustrates Importance of Biosecurity

The Executive Director of the Swine Health Information Center says an increase in PRRS infections in breeding herds illustrates the importance of biosecurity

The Swine Health Information Center’s December Domestic Swine Health Surveillance Report, released as part of it’s monthly enewsletter, indicates a slight uptick in Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome infections in breeding herds.

SHIC Executive Director Dr. Paul Sundberg says, when we have outbreaks of PRRS on finishing floors, it causes viral cloud in the atmosphere and that puts breeding herds at a heightened risk for infection.

“With PRRS being spread by aerosol that adds to the complexity of control if we get a viral cloud from a finishing floor headed toward an unprotected breeding herd“ 

 

“It’s PRRS time, it’s the PRRS season and gaining control of PRRS is all about biosecurity and about paying attention to biosecurity 24 hours a day seven days a week. That’s the hardest thing to do.

“With PRRS being spread by aerosol that adds to the complexity of control if we get a viral cloud from a finishing floor headed toward an unprotected breeding herd or other finishing floors so there can be some issues there, maybe regional spread that are out of control if you don’t have filtered air inputs into your farm for example.
Beyond that biosecurity for PRRS is really one of the issues that continues to go on and be enforced 24-7.

“The hardest thing to do is enforce it.

“We’ve started to look at measure the risks from feed spread.

“That seems to be something that at least is a possibility but it’s probably a low spread but it is something to pay attention to in addition to the foot traffic, the truck traffic and all of the other things that enter and exit the farm.”

The Swine Health Information Center’s full domestic and global swine disease surveillance reports can be accessed at swinehealth.org.

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