The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) recognizes the potential risk of feed as a route for introduction and transmission of transboundary animal diseases. Understanding the risk and mitigation of other foreign animal diseases such as African swine fever virus (ASFV), classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and pseudorabies virus (PRV) in feed and feed ingredients is critical to protecting the health of the US swine herd. SHIC funded a study at Kansas State University to identify animal feed ingredients which support survival of CSFV and PRV exposed to transpacific shipment conditions, improve the half-life calculations of ASFV in feed ingredients exposed to transatlantic shipment conditions, and investigate antiviral chemical mitigants as a tool for reducing the risk of introduction and transmission of CSFV, ASFV and PRV in feed and feed ingredients. Improved ASFV half-life estimates in feed ingredients were calculated to include both standard error and 95% confidence intervals. Additionally, antiviral chemical mitigants were tested for efficacy against foreign animal diseases in in vitro cell culture models and transboundary shipping models. Overall, this research has improved our ability to quantify risk of CSFV and PRV in feed, implement science-based storage times for ASFV in feed, and identify effective feed additives for risk mitigation of foreign animal diseases through feed.
Funded by America’s pork producers to protect and enhance the health of the US swine herd, the Swine Health Information Center focuses its efforts on prevention, preparedness, and response. As a conduit of information and research, SHIC encourages sharing of its publications and research for the benefit of swine health. Forward, reprint, and quote SHIC material freely. For more information, visit http://www.swinehealth.org or contact Dr. Paul Sundberg at psundberg@swinehealth.org.