Impact of nurse sows on influenza A virus transmission

A study by the Torremorell group was recently published in the Preventive Veterinary Medicine Journal. In this publication, Dr. Jorge Garrido-Mantilla et al. evaluated if piglets put together with a nurse sow were more likely to be influenza A positive and conversely, if a nurse sow could become infected when adopting a litter of positive piglets.

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Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Project (MSHMP) 2020 Summary

This is our Friday rubric: every week a new Science Page from the Bob Morrison’s Swine Health Monitoring Project. The previous editions of the science page are available on our website.

This week, Dr. Cesar Corzo, in charge of the project, gives us a summary of the year 2020.

The past 12 months certainly tested the robustness of MSHMP in many ways. Most importantly, our team was able to quickly navigate through several technical challenges, as accessing and maintaining our database while working from home had not been possible prior to this year. Thankfully, we were able to maintain the data flow and provide you with the weekly report. We wouldn’t had been able to do that if it wasn’t for your commitment as well. We certainly appreciate your efforts. 

Our work has continued moving forward and we here summarize the major accomplishments throughout 2020. 

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USDA NIFA awards Food Animal researchers more than $2.7 million

With the new support, CVM researchers will help animals and producers across the swine industry

The United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) recently funded more than $2.7 million worth of research at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). The projects that benefit from this funding will help the food animal agriculture industry maximize production and advance strategies for keeping animals healthy. This recent investment in the CVM’s research represents another milestone in the decades-old relationship the College has with USDA NIFA, which has established a history for furthering food animal agriculture across species and contexts. 

College leadership looks forward to how this new funding, when paired with CVM investigators’ expertise, will further the science that powers animal welfare and food security across the country.

The list of awardees includes Dr. Montse Torremorell and Dr. Noelle Noyes who will work on the elimination airborne viruses from swine barns and antibiotic resistance in swine, respectively. Dr. Jerry Torrison, head of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory will launch a new pathology residency program in collaboration with South Dakota State University.

Read more about their projects on the College’s website.

Left to right: Dr. Montse Torremorell, Dr. Jerry Torrison, and Dr. Noelle Noyes

Multiple vaccinations: what effect on M. hyopneumoniae infection?

Dr. Betlach and the team from the MycoLab recently published a study in the journal Vaccine, regarding the impact of multiple vaccines against Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. They assessed bacterial load and protection against infection in gilts.

Highlights

  • Vaccination against M. hyopneumoniae reduced bacterial load in infected gilts.
  • Vaccination of both infected and contact gilts reduced M. hyopneumoniae transmission.
  • Genetic diversity of M. hyopneumoniae was not influenced by vaccination.
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Impact of the Recombinant PRRSv Horsens Strain on the Reproductive Performance of Pregnant Sows

This is our Friday rubric: every week a new Science Page from the Bob Morrison’s Swine Health Monitoring Project. The previous editions of the science page are available on our website.

In this article published by Zoetis in collaboration with the University of Denmark and Copenhagen, the authors discuss that there are currently at least 18 commercially licensed modified live vaccines (MLVs) for the control of PRRS in the global market and because these vaccines are live viruses, precautions need to be followed in order to maintain their safety.

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