Category Archives: Animal Health

The Swine Health Information Center’s (SHIC) January Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report is available. This month’s Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Report shows that a moderate increase in detection of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in breeding herds occurred in December and agreed with past reports that have highlighted that spike in grow-finish pigs (seen since September) usually is followed by increased activity in breeding herds. Detection of enteric coronavirus, i.e., porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), porcine deltacorona virus (PDCoV), transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE), and M. hyopneumoniae by PCR are according to forecasted levels for this time of the year. The SDRS bonus page brings a 2021 SDRS retrospective. In the podcast, the SDRS hosts talk with Dr. Luc Dufresne, Director of Veterinary Services at Seaboard Foods, about his experiences in animal health management, disease management, control, and his vision for the swine industry to better handle animal health interventions for major agents.

The Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Project (MSHMP) is entering year seven with plans to build capacity. MSHMP will carry on monitoring swine disease incidence with a national system in place for emerging pathogen detection, a key element of the Swine Health Information Center’s (SHIC’s) mission. Pig farm population growth, emerging pathogen tool finetuning, transport data usability and platform building for project information sharing are all key areas of action.

Beginning January 1, 2022, entry requirements will be different for most cattle and swine. [Source: Indiana BOAH 20 December 2021]

Children around the world received some good news today, with officials from the North Pole confirming that Santa’s reindeer have been approved for their Christmas Eve flight, following a health checkup from Santa’s veterinarian. [Source: AVMA 13 December 2021]

A project designed to help prevent the spread of infectious bioaerosols capable of causing swine disease outbreaks with significant economic consequences is underway. Funded by the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) and being conducted by University of Minnesota staff, work on objective one began in October 2021 and has provided initial insights. This portion of the project is identifying existing and emerging aerosol technologies and procedures, then reviewing them to assess their ability to contain bioaerosols in the face of disease outbreaks in swine.

Since its inception in 2015, diagnostic preparedness and readiness for possible new or emerging production diseases has been a focus of the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC). The SHIC Diagnostic Assay Catalog, a tool for preparedness and readiness, was updated again in December 2021. Developed for swine diagnosticians, this updated catalog contains information for SHIC-funded diagnostic tests developed to support early identification and epidemiological investigations of possible emerging disease pathogens. SHIC actively updates emerging disease information, including this catalog and swine disease fact sheets, regularly to equip the industry.

The National Pork Board announced an additional $15 million investment of Pork Checkoff funds in the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), extending funding for the center through 2027. Launched with Checkoff funds in 2015, SHIC works to protect and enhance the health of the United States swine herd through coordinated global disease monitoring, targeted research investments that minimize the impact of future disease threats and analysis of swine health data. “SHIC provides value to the entire pork industry through targeted disease research programs,” says Gene Noem, National Pork Board president and SHIC board member. “Specifically, SHIC is able to conduct and source research for emerging health issues from a network of academia, veterinary service and diagnostic labs and researchers across the globe.”

Often in production herds, and specifically in sow farms with more experienced staff, we begin to build internal farm system language or “barn speak” that can take on a life and meaning all of its own. It is the responsibility of the veterinarian to develop health programs specific to the population and further investigate the proper execution of health protocols. Misunderstanding of “why” or specific challenges to “how” can often lead to failure of any specified health program. [Source: Farm Journal’s Pork 10 November 2021 by William Hollis]

The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) maintains a priority on diagnostics of swine diseases as part of its mission to protect and enhance the health of the US swine herd. Consequently, SHIC funded a project for genetic characterization and diagnostic tool development for an emerging porcine sapelovirus (PSV). This emerging virus was isolated in a diagnostic specimen from a US swine farm and designated as PSV KS18-01. In work done at Kansas State University and the University of Illinois, a full-length genome sequence was obtained through next-generation sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the virus is more closely related to two Japanese strains but is distantly related to two known US strains. PSV specific diagnostic tools were developed, including the monoclonal antibodies again VP1 and VP2, and a VP1-VP2 antigen-based indirect ELISA. Using this assay, the dynamic response of PSV antibody was investigated in a group of post-weaned pigs that were naturally exposed with PSV. The availability of the PSV isolate (KS18-01) and the specific diagnostic reagents and assays provide important tools for PSV control and prevention.

Wean-to-market farms continue to serve as a reservoir for diseases such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and porcine coronaviruses such as porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and porcine delta coronavirus (PDCoV.) The October 2021 Swine Disease Reporting System indicates that over 31% of samples tested in the wean-to-market phase are positive for PRRSV, 8.8% for PEDV, and 0.7% for PDCoV1. [Source: National Hog Farmer 2 November 2021]