Articles - Health

It is that time of year again when viruses are well preserved in the environment during the cool winter months, and pigs experience their greatest health challenges due to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv) and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv).

Crisp air, the hustle and bustle of harvest, bonfires, football, and pumpkin spice everything—all remind us of the beauty of fall. Unfortunately, the season also brings back the all-too-familiar hack of influenza in pigs. Effectively managing influenza not only protects herd health but also helps secure the long-term productivity of the farm.

Adequate. Mediocre. Tolerable. These are not adjectives we want to use to describe the standards we have for aspects of our business. So why would we ever accept these terms when it comes to the standards we have for pig health? Maybe we don’t think of having standards for health.

Glaesserella parasuis (GPS) is a disease that almost every swine producer has encountered at some point. While it may not be as easily recognized as Streptococcus suis or Escherichia coli, it can lead to similar consequences—sick pigs and increased mortality.

Change is often described as inevitable, but in the pig business, it’s more than a reality—it’s a mindset. Embracing change can set the course for progress and success, as demonstrated by one producer’s journey to transform their operation. This producer owned a 30-year-old, 1,300-head sow unit located in a swine-dense area.

Public perception has never played a bigger role in agriculture than it does today. With social media amplifying consumer concerns, pork producers and veterinarians find themselves under increasing scrutiny—often from people who have little understanding of modern pig farming.

The past 2 years have been challenging for most producers as the market has offered few times to lock in profits.  Recently, the market has improved and forward prospects at the time of this writing do look good for the coming year.

In October 2024, veterinarians across the country received the following letter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Dear Veterinarian: The U.S.

Effective ventilation is one of the most critical factors in maintaining a healthy and productive swine operation. It influences air quality, temperature control, and the overall environment for the pigs. However, achieving the right balance in ventilation comes with its challenges, especially when factoring in barn design, fan efficiency, and climate conditions.

Warm, humid weather can bring on more intestinal issues in recently weaned pigs. The causes of looseness are many and include viruses (rotavirus and PEDV most commonly), bacteria (hemolytic E. coli and salmonella), parasites (coccidia), and environmental and nutritional factors.Today we will focus on best practices to minimize the chances of hemolytic E.

Due to the abundant rainfall this Spring, Mother Nature has created optimal conditions for mosquito breeding. Adult mosquitoes, capable of traveling up to 3 miles from their breeding grounds, pose a threat by biting and potentially transmitting viruses.

Several months ago, I had the opportunity to attend the final Advancing Animal Welfare Together Symposium that was hosted by the late Dr. Angela Baysinger. During one of the sessions, we were asked to think about challenges that at one point the swine industry felt were impossible to overcome, but that we later accomplished.