On this first Tuesday of December, we are featuring a new paper from the MSHMP team in collaboration with Pipestone research, published in the journal Animals and available in open-access. This article, a follow-up from a previous publication, compares key performance indicators between farms implementing Next Generation Biosecurity (NGB) or not. Refer back to the first publication for a description of NGB which encompasses measures to control four routes of disease transmission (direct, mechanical, feed, and aerosol) and a retrospective analysis of PRRSv incidence rates for 2 years.
Methods
- Farms were classified as NGB complete (n=43) or NGB incomplete (n=19)
- Key Performance Indicators evaluated during year 1 and year 2
- number of live-born pigs/farrowing; % stillbirths;% mummies; % sow mortality; replacement rate (%); culling rate (%); litters/mated female/year. number of pigs weaned/female; total number of pigs born/farrow; % pre-weaning mortality; number of pigs weaned/mated female/year; % repeat services; % multiple matings; average parity of sows farrowed; wean to first service interval (days); % sows bred by 5 days; conception rate (%); farrowing rate (%); age at first service (days); entry to first service (days);
- PRRS incidence risk was calculated during year 3.
Results
- During year 1 and 2, in NGB complete farms, there was significant:
- increase in total born per farrow
- pigs weaned per farrow
- decrease in pre-weaning mortality rate
- and a reduced wean to 1st service interval
- There was no difference in sow mortality, % of stillbirth and % of mummies.
- During year3, 10.3% and 29.4% of NGB complete and NGB incomplete herds became infected with PRRSv, respectively. Additionally, no change in herd density around the farms were noted during that year.
Abstract
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a globally significant pathogen of pigs. Preventing the entry of PRRSV into swine breeding herds enhances animal health and welfare. A recently published retrospective cohort study reported significant differences in PRRSV incidence risk between breeding herds that practiced Next Generation Biosecurity (NGB) COMPLETE, versus herds that practiced a partial approach (NGB INCOMPLETE) over a 2-year period. This follow-up communication builds on this previous publication and brings new information regarding statistical differences in key performance indicators (KPIs) from 43 NGB COMPLETE herds and 19 NGB INCOMPLETE herds during disease years 1 and 2. Statistically significant differences included higher total born/farrow and pigs weaned/female along with a reduced pre-weaning mortality and wean to 1st service interval, as well as a 0.91 increase in the number of pigs weaned/mated female/year. In addition, this communication reports that PRRSV incidence risk throughout disease years 1–3 was 8.0%, and that the association of NGB status (COMPLETE vs. INCOMPLETE) and disease burden for the cumulative 3-year period was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). These findings support previously published data that NGB, while not perfect, provides sustainable prevention of PRRSV, and may help improve herd productivity.