Category Archives: Animal Health

In response to a severe 2021 outbreak of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) serotype 15 in Iowa finishers, SHIC funded research to define the risk and mitigation of this emerging swine disease strain.

The Swine Health Information Center’s (SHIC) February Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report is available.

Benjamin Franklin was right when he said, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ Nothing could be truer when it comes to protecting agriculture. The 2015 outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza reminded us just how costly foreign animal disease outbreaks are for America’s livestock growers and the nation’s food supply.

Research provides critical information and resources to help pork producers as they face emerging disease challenges in their swine herds. Research priorities and topics identified in the SHIC 2024 Plan of Work help the Swine Health Information Center fulfill its mission to generate new intelligence for preventing, preparing, and responding to emerging swine disease threats. SHIC has now issued a formal request for proposals inviting submissions to specifically address 11 of the 36 research priorities and topics published in the 2024 Plan of Work, across three of the Center’s five strategic emphases. Proposals are due March 1, 2024, and will undergo a competitive review process for value to the pork industry by a SHIC working group which will provide funding recommendations.

In December 2023, SHIC funded a study to investigate porcine astrovirus 4 as an emerging pathogen capable of causing respiratory illness in pigs. Dr. Mike Rahe, North Carolina State University, leads the collaborative investigation to define the pathogenesis of PoAstV4 infection in weaned pigs under experimental conditions. Previous studies have shown evidence of PoAstV4 in respiratory tract lesions but the direct contribution of PoAstV4 to clinical disease is poorly understood. The newly funded study seeks to understand if PoAstV4 is a primary cause of respiratory disease, characterize the course of infection over time, and provide a foundation for rapid and accurate identification of respiratory illness in pigs. Investigating the production impacts of potentially emerging pathogens is part of the SHIC mission to define risks to herd health and minimize disease impact.

New 2023 Progress Report provides pork producers, swine veterinarians, and industry stakeholders a review of the Swine Health Information Center’s activities and accomplishments to carry out its mission over the past year. The Progress Report is divided into sections detailing the year’s progress addressing SHIC’s 2023 Plan of Work priorities – preparedness, monitoring and mitigating risks to swine health, improving swine health information, surveillance and discovery of emerging disease, and responding to emerging disease.

Have a breeding herd experiencing a PRRS outbreak? You have the opportunity to enroll the breeding herd into the POMP (PRRS Outbreak Management Protocol) program to compare how this breeding herd compares to others in the swine industry.

Activities of the Swine Health Information Center are guided by its annual Plan of Work detailing projects to address its five strategic priorities, including 1) improving swine health information, 2) monitoring and mitigating risks to swine health, 3) responding to emerging disease, 4) surveillance and discovery of emerging disease, and 5) swine disease matrices. Developed through stakeholder feedback and approved by the SHIC Board of Directors, the 2024 Plan of Work will be implemented by Executive Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder and Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton with input from the board and SHIC Working Groups.

The Swine Health Information Center’s (SHIC) January Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report is available.

With funding from the Swine Health Information Center renewed for 2023-2024, the Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Project’s industry-driven goals continue to focus on enhancing the health of the US swine herd by providing tools that enable implementation of expanded preparedness measures to address emerging or foreign animal disease emergencies. This includes continuously tracking and analyzing trends in the incidence, prevalence, and elimination of pathogens, sustaining ongoing surveillance of PRRSV sequences impacting the US swine population, enhancing producer engagement, broadening representation of the industry, and facilitating access to timely and relevant disease information.