sow farm – Swine in Minnesota

Characterizing dead animal facilities, structures, practices in sow farms

By Brenna Wachtendonk, Igor A.D. Paploski, Dennis N. Makau, Mariana Kikuti, Cesar A. Corzo, and Kimberly VanderWaal, University of Minnesota

Pigs on sow farms die of various causes including some highly contagious diseases. Studies have shown that the odds of a porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome outbreak in farms that perform rendering as a disposal method for dead animals are higher than in farms that perform composting.

Characterization of the dead animal facilities, structures, practices and procedures is then needed to mitigate the risk associated with dead animal removal in sow farms.

First assessment of weeks-to-negative processing fluids in breeding herds after a Senecavirus A outbreak

Today, we are sharing a new article from the Corzo lab, published in Porcine Health Management earlier this month. This study looks at the number of weeks it takes for processing fluids to become negative after a Senecavirus A outbreak. The full article is available on the journal’s website in open access.

Summary: The evaluation of an artificial intelligence system for estrus detection in 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 week’s Science Page, researchers Steven Verhoeven, Ilias Chantziaras, Elise Bernaerdt , Michel Loicq , Ludo Verhoeven and Dominiek Maes share the results of a study done on the accuracy of estrus detectus using AI technology on three commercial Belgian farms.

Breeding herd Senecavirus A infection: understanding its persistence

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. Guilherme Preis, PhD candidate working with Drs. Cesar Corzo and Fabio Vannucci, shares his latest results about Senecavirus A persistence in sow farms after an outbreak.

Key points

Senecavirus A (SVA) continues to be responsible for an important number of FAD investigations.
SVA continues to circulate in breeding herds for up 21 weeks after clinical signs had been detected.
Heat check boars may contribute to population persistence of this virus.

Development of an automated model to capture and analyze whole-herd parameters associated with wean-to-finish mortality

This week, Dr. Linhares’s team from Iowa State University is proposing a model to analyze wean-to-finish mortality based on whole-herd parameters such as farrowing rate, PRRS status or even management factors.

Key Points

An automated model was developed to consolidate multiple data streams from weaning cohorts to their respective closeouts.
Sow farm productivity and health are highly associated with wean to finish mortality.
Sow farm-related data explained 74.1% of the variation observed on wean to finish mortality.