A study funded by the Swine Health Information Center Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program, in partnership with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research and Pork Checkoff, aimed to understand how different levels of trailer washing impacts the spread of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. The goals of the study were to determine the best practices that balance disease control and economic feasibility across different swine production scenarios. Led by Drs. Jim Lowe and Ben Blair at the University of Illinois, the study determined that the necessary level of market haul trailer cleaning depends on PEDV prevalence and system connectivity. These insights can help producers develop tailored cleaning protocols that enhance swine health and productivity while effectively managing costs.
Read more about the Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program here.
The transmission of PEDV within swine production systems poses significant challenges, particularly through market haul trailers transporting pigs between wean-to-finish farms and slaughter facilities. This study aimed to determine the most effective and cost-efficient way to clean market haul trailers transporting these pigs to reduce PEDV transmission while balancing economic feasibility. Two system types were evaluated using computer simulations to model swine production systems under various conditions. The first scenario focused on a single production system with 24,000 sows across eight sites. The second scenario evaluated a region with 24,000 sows divided into four geographically related systems but operationally independent.
Simulations evaluated how washing different proportions of trailers at a consistent washing efficacy rate would affect the spread of PEDV. Scenarios were conducted with PEDV prevalence levels ranging from low (5%), moderate (10%) and high (20%) to see how PEDV prevalence impacted the effectiveness of trailer washing on disease reduction. Production was set to occur at fixed rates and under fixed time constraints, with wean-to-finish farms taking two weeks to fill and six weeks to empty completely, resulting in a 22-week turn. The total costs per scenario included PEDV-infection related expenses and operational costs for truck washing.
Overall results indicated significant reductions in PEDV transmission with increased trailer decontamination. Findings for the single production system scenario showed washing 100% of trailers significantly reduced the number of infected farms, with an average of 23 infected premises. Washing 60% of trailers was identified as a cost-effective strategy for the single production system, achieving a significant reduction in disease spread at a lower cost of about $32,956 per farm.
In geographically related systems, washing 100% of trailers significantly reduced the number of infected farms, with an average of 10.5 infected premises. Surprisingly, researchers found washing 0% of trailers was found to be the most cost-effective in these segregated systems, costing about $25,664 per farm. These findings suggest that extensive decontamination might not always be necessary in such segregated systems with dedicated transport.
In addition to the 10% PEDV prevalence rate utilized in the referenced results above, high (20%) and low (5%) PEDV prevalence rates were also evaluated. In scenarios with high PEDV prevalence, it was necessary to wash 80% of trailers to achieve a significant reduction in the number of infected farms at a cost of $48,957 per farm. In low prevalence scenarios, washing trailers were not required to optimize costs, which dropped to $26,862 per farm.
The study shows that cleaning market haul trailers is crucial for controlling the spread of PEDV, but the extent of washing needed can vary. For interconnected systems or during high PEDV prevalence periods, thorough washing of all trailers is essential. However, in more isolated systems or when PEDV prevalence is low, producers may save costs without compromising biosecurity by washing fewer trailers. These findings offer valuable insights for the swine industry by blending epidemiological and economic analysis techniques.
Additional steps that can enhance biosecurity include performing an assessment of current biosecurity measures with a focus on areas of improvement, tailoring decontamination strategies based on disease prevalence in the area considering efficacy and cost, adjusting strategies as needed depending on emerging data and best practices, and engage with veterinary and biosecurity experts to ensure protocols are science-based and specific to farm conditions.
This study provides unique insights into the role of trailer decontamination in mitigating PEDV transmission within the swine industry. By implementing strategic decontamination protocols, producers can significantly reduce disease spread, enhance biosecurity, and improve the overall health and productivity of their herds. While the results offer valuable guidance, producers are encouraged to adapt these strategies to their unique production contexts and continuously refine their practices based on ongoing assessments and expert advice.
Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research
The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) builds public-private partnerships to fund bold research addressing big food and agriculture challenges. FFAR was established in the 2014 Farm Bill to increase public agriculture research investments, fill knowledge gaps and complement US Department of Agriculture’s research agenda. FFAR’s model matches federal funding from Congress with private funding, delivering a powerful return on taxpayer investment. Through collaboration and partnerships, FFAR advances actionable science benefiting farmers, consumers and the environment. Connect: @FoundationFAR
Swine Health Information Center
The Swine Health Information Center, launched in 2015 with Pork Checkoff funding, protects and enhances the health of the US swine herd by minimizing the impact of emerging disease threats through preparedness, coordinated communications, global disease monitoring, analysis of swine health data, and targeted research investments. As a conduit of information and research, SHIC encourages sharing of its publications and research. Forward, reprint, and quote SHIC material freely. For more information, visit http://www.swinehealth.org or contact Dr. Megan Niederwerder at mniederwerder@swinehealth.org or Dr. Lisa Becton at lbecton@swinehealth.org.