These two words can spark lively debate at any gathering of more than 2 veterinarians. Over the last couple decades of swine veterinary medicine, our collective scientific organization has taken on a variety of complicated programs to eliminate infectious diseases from various growing pig and sow farm populations. We have the ambition and the science to get this done in many ways.
We currently are faced with a significant financial crunch on many producers, unwilling to consider the sizeable investment in time or resources needed to chase down and eliminate some of the costliest problems in our industry. I believe we have an opportunity when gilts are plentiful and market pressures are not pulling resources away. We can focus on targeted diseases and dust off some of the more challenging and successful programs.
While I was not involved in the old days of “hog cholera vaccination,” the late Dr KT Wright shared many stories of state and federal veterinary agencies with local accredited veterinarians tasked with attacking the disease with a known effective vaccine to eradicate the pathogen from the United States. Producers, however, grew bitter of the cost. Herd veterinarians grew tired of simply being the technician. The reality in the end was a highly successful disease elimination which came at a high price to the taxpayer and producer. Decades of healthy pigs prove the value, but the perception remained. Producers and veterinarians want to control their own destiny.
The second round of coordinated swine disease elimination also had a highly successful tool with government support. Pseudorabies virus was eliminated in my early career with required vaccination in high-risk populations and routine monitoring for high-risk sow herds and interstate shipment. Again, once down to the last holdout producer, there was some argument and frustration. It was arguably the last major coordinated swine disease elimination program to successfully rid the entire US swine population of a disease. This time vaccination was slightly lower in cost and could be given by farm teams. Extensive testing and herd depopulation was supported by government programs. In the end, swine producers led the debate and through peer pressure, helped stomp out the disease.
Now we come to those diseases we can and have eliminated in certain areas, but still struggle to see a coordinated effort nationwide. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus has been driven to the finishers and dark corners of unwashed trucks, buying stations, and slaughter plants. It has become a very painful compliance indicator for our biosecurity programs on sow farms. We could identify both effective vaccination strategies (modified live virus) and target growing populations (low individual cost). We really want this disease gone!
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an entirely different monster with decades of suffering through incomplete elimination. We have implemented proven biosecurity technology and complicated gilt introduction strategies to “get by.” We could and should keep the elimination of this infectious disease high on the list for debate. Just do not let the virus know I said that out loud. My greatest concern with PRRSV is our collective reluctance to take aggressive elimination as the best course of action. Every time we cut corners or take the path almost good enough, our weakness in gaining control is exposed. It is important to identify timely and specific elimination programs for this disease and continue to speak of the success or failure of these programs openly.
Our industry has enjoyed much success in the pursuit of healthy pigs through disease elimination. We have clients and bosses willing to take risks with capital and see the future of healthy production. We should build on that data with proven results. The AASV must remain in the debate. We have tools and opportunities which may actually fall into the best timing during the worst hog market. Remain encouraged and stay in the fight for healthy pigs.
William L Hollis, DVM
AASV President