Podcasts by Pig Health Today

Forecasting swine disease outbreaks from 2021-02-05T09:00

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have been working on a predictive model to forecast when a disease outbreak may occur on a farm, said Kim VanderWaal, DVM, assistant professor a...

Water: Essential nutrient often overlooked in pigs from 2021-01-20T09:00

Water doesn’t get the attention it deserves because it is abundant, easy to access and inexpensive, but that will change in the future, said John Patience, PhD, professor of animal science at Io...

Connor: Innovation driven by necessity and opportunity from 2021-01-18T13:00

The pork industry has had a tremendous number of innovations over the years, said Joe Connor, DVM, in an interview with Pig Health Today. Connor, who serves as a consultant within Carth...

Well-managed estrus helps gilts, sows achieve top performance from 2021-01-18T09:00

Success in pork production starts with a well-managed sow herd that cycles together and on time. Unfortunately, reproductive problems can derail the breeding process.

“One of the biggest [...

Reducing PRRS outbreaks by using air filtration: What you need to know from 2021-01-13T11:00

Jeff Feder, DVM, with Swine Vet Center (SVC), has spent 15 years fine-tuning filtration systems in client hog barns. Today, Feder has records to prove air filtration does reduce outbreaks of dis...

Top-notch gilt management requires attention to details from 2021-01-13T11:00

The basics of managing gilts for optimum pig production and longevity are well known. But successfully applying them requires meticulous attention to details, according to Jake Schwartz, DVM, Sw...

Not making biosecurity improvements can cost more than making them from 2020-12-17T16:00

Biosecurity ranks high on the list of concerns for swine veterinarians who want hog units tightened up to reduce disease. But the cost of new improvements can be overwhelming, according to Jorda...

A case for batch farrowing from 2020-12-16T12:00

It appears batch farrowing is making a comeback, according to John Deen, DVM, PhD, distinguished global professor at the University of Minnesota. 

Historically, batch farrowing was more at...

From veterinarian to forensic detective: Solving a mysterious swine disease from 2020-10-30T10:00

In fall 2019, a client called into Four Star Veterinary Service clinic in Mexico, Indiana, and reported the loss of a lot of sows. Daniel Gascho, DVM, knew the client and headed out to the busin...

Animal welfare enters the realm of science from 2020-10-30T10:00

The “Five Freedoms” have been the foundation for establishing sound animal welfare practices since they were developed by Britain’s Farm Animal Welfare Council in 1965. Freedom from hunger and t...

Veterinarians, mind your mental health from 2020-10-29T12:00

Veterinarians, whether specializing in large or small animals, deal with stress under the best circumstances. But in this time of difficult decisions for pork producers and those who service the...

Pork’s future relies on trust throughout the pork value chain from 2020-10-21T10:00

In the end, raising hogs is about producing pork, and continuous success depends on building customers’ trust, listening to expectations and meeting their needs. As pork producers and swine vete...

Genetic diversity makes swine influenza a challenge for producers from 2020-10-16T09:00

Influenza A virus in swine (IAV-S) is one of the primary respiratory pathogens challenging swine production systems in the US and around the world, said Phil Gauger, DVM, PhD, an associate profe...

Raising pigs without antibiotics offers niche market but with limitations from 2020-10-14T10:00

Markets for pork produced without antibiotics continue to grow. But this method of production is not for every farm, cautions Michael Pierdon, VMD, veterinarian with Four Star Veterinary Service...

Inadequate iron supplements lead to subclinical anemia in young pigs from 2020-10-06T16:00

A field trial evaluating iron supplementation for baby pigs found the typical 200 mg iron shot at birth is not enough. The trial was prompted by a client who wanted to compare different iron sup...

Decontamination protocols fail to disinfect incoming hog supplies from 2020-10-06T12:00

Biosecurity protocols are critical to keeping the US hog herd healthy, and one of the regular tasks is to disinfect a wide range of supplies entering the farm. It’s well documented that any numb...

What they don’t tell you in veterinary school: Take care of yourself from 2020-09-30T10:00

A romanticized view of the veterinary profession, gleaned from sources like the famous Brit, James Herriot’s novel “All Creatures Great and Small,” doesn’t always mesh with the reality. Veterina...

Slaughter checks pinpoint subclinical disease like atrophic rhinitis from 2020-09-24T12:00

Slaughter checks performed at a packing plant are an underutilized tool for diagnosing subclinical disease, says Brad Schmitt, DVM, Four Star Veterinary Service, Rushville, Indiana. 

“We a...

People in pork production just as important as pigs from 2020-09-18T14:00

While their schooling focused on pigs, veterinarians on the job spend a lot of time working with clients and members of their staff. After all, they must carry out a veterinarian’s health or pro...

Tracheal sampling for M. hyo may hold new benefits from 2020-09-09T11:19:56

Tracheal sampling is a good way to determine if M. hyo is present in a herd, but it’s an invasive procedure that can be difficult to accomplish.

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New approaches to influenza control look promising from 2020-08-11T11:39:19

Influenza-A virus of swine (IAV-S) is a thorn in the side of US pork producers, and it’s a difficult thorn to remove. If the virus were more pathogenic, veterinarians and producers would probabl...

‘Controlled colonization’ builds immune response to bacterial pathogens from 2020-08-03T11:14:31

Bacterial pathogens like Streptococcus suis and Haemophilus parasuis continue to cause major issues for growing and adult pigs. Dr. Brad Leuwerke offers some good solutions.

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Addressing ‘unknown factors’ in sow mortality from 2020-08-01T09:00:16

Sow mortality has been on the rise in the US pork industry, reaching upwards of 15% in many sow-production systems, said Ashley Johnson, DVM, technical services veterinarian with Zoetis.

T...

Feed mitigants offer positive production and virus protection results from 2020-07-23T10:29:57

For the past 18 months Scott Dee, DVM, director of research at Pipestone Veterinary Services, has been investigating whether feed mitigants can protect against the transmission of certain swine ...

Swine Health Information Center: Preparing for emerging diseases from 2020-07-17T13:03:49

Whether the issue is an emerging disease such as porcine epidemic diarrhea or the threat of African swine fever, being prepared is key to minimizing the potential impact on the US swine herd and...

Tools for managing pigs without antibiotics from 2020-07-09T09:45:30

Raising pigs without antibiotics requires extra management and different tools compared to traditional commercial hog production.

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Antimicrobial resistance causing few clinical problems in swine from 2020-06-18T06:00:30

Clinical problems in swine due to antimicrobial-resistant infections are rare. In fact, patterns of resistance in swine have been stable for a long time.

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Connor: Disease elimination can lower the cost of production from 2020-02-05T14:05:41

US producers have robust export markets and a lower cost of production than many other countries, but Joe Connor, DVM, says cost of production could be even lower.

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Veterinarian says VFD led to more strategic antibiotic use from 2020-01-16T06:00:08

The Food and Drug Administration’s revised rules for antibiotic use in hogs, including the VFD, has led to a reduction in and more strategic use of antibiotics in swine.

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On the road again? Be careful not to pig out from 2019-08-16T11:26:02

Swine veterinarians putting in long days on the road caring for pigs should be just as cognizant of their own health and nutritional needs.

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Pork industry makes progress on pain management from 2019-07-11T06:00:20

Pain management for pigs has always been a challenge, partly because it’s difficult to measure levels of pain and partly because there are no FDA-approved drugs labeled for pain management in pi...

Data show filtered farms break less often with PRRS from 2019-07-05T07:00:08

Nine years of data from the Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Project show farms with air-filtering systems have fewer outbreaks of PRRS than farms without filters.

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Senecavirus A: Several questions remain unanswered from 2019-05-20T08:30:36

Senecavirus A (SVA) is detected in a pig’s tonsils about 40 days after infection with the virus — a finding that raises some interesting questions.

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Are you giving M. hyo the attention it deserves? from 2019-03-19T16:29:21

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyo) isn’t a new problem in the pork industry. I’s been around for years, but that’s exactly the point: Why is the industry still wrestling with it?

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PRRS vaccine overcomes maternal immunity in day-old piglets from 2019-03-18T15:36:23

A new vaccine for PRRS has been shown to overcome maternal immunity in newborn piglets, offering protection from this costly disease from before weaning through slaughter.

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Carthage vets focusing on ‘regional’ IAV-S vaccination strategies for breeding herds from 2019-03-16T14:30:59

As influenza viruses evolve, is there a more effective way to manage vaccinations for influenza A virus in swine?

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Gene editing offers future options to address swine diseases from 2019-03-02T09:50:26

Whether the focus is human or animal medicine, gene editing has created a buzz today about its potential for addressing numerous health issues.

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FDA’s antibiotic guidance and VFDs continue a smooth transition from 2019-02-27T09:28:43

It’s fast approaching 2 years since the FDA implemented its revised guidance for antibiotic use in food animals. At the center of the effort is the veterinary feed directive (VFD).

The pos...

Why sows leave the herd: Biological priorities and productivity from 2019-02-27T08:51:51

When it comes to sow productivity, culling and mortality issues, “the simple answer is there’s no simple answer,” John Deen, DVM, University of Minnesota swine epidemiologist, told Pig Health To...

Strategies to weaken PRRS’ grip on US herds from 2019-02-22T15:46:58

After more than three decades, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) remains a serious disease threat to swine units in the US.

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Rapid Response Plan offers CSI team for emerging diseases from 2019-02-18T09:43:27

Determining the cause of a peculiar health condition in pigs is not unlike a crime scene investigation (CSI). The veterinarian, producer and diagnosticians search for clues into what, how and wh...

Tale of two viruses: PCV3 impact unknown while PCV2 continues to evolve from 2019-02-16T13:40:58

Genetic sequencing demonstrates that porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) is significantly different from PCV2, but otherwise little is known about the virus.

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Connor: No clear winner in pen- versus crate-gestation debate from 2019-01-22T09:47:18

Sow housing during gestation continues to draw debate as some hog operations make a switch from crates to pens for gestation. The results are mixed.

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Parvovirus still poses threat to breeding herd from 2018-12-14T14:06:26

For as long as anyone can remember, pork producers have vaccinated gilts for parvovirus. Now that outbreaks are rare, is it necessary to vaccinate the entire breeding herd? 

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Raising pigs without antibiotics? Plan to ‘sweat the small stuff’ from 2018-12-12T14:42:19

Follow this rule if you’re raising pigs without antibiotics: “Sweat the small stuff.” That’s the advice from Doug MacDougald, DVM, for any farm that wants to eliminate antibiotics without compro...

SHIC establishes diagnostic strategies to get ahead of disease from 2018-12-10T08:40:35

If knowledge is power, being prepared is security. Both are drivers behind the Swine Health Information Center’s (SHIC) program to share information among the nation’s four major swine veterinar...

Pork industry needs to balance animal well-being with antibiotic pressures from 2018-12-05T13:52:09

After 37 years of swine veterinary practice, John Baker, DVM, Boonville, Indiana, sees producers and veterinarians entering a new era in antibiotic management — one that focuses not on arbitrari...

Castration alternative boosting efficiency, quality and welfare in Brazil from 2018-12-05T10:03:28

Pig producers in Brazil are improving efficiency, quality and welfare standards thanks to a novel alternative to physical castration, says a prominent swine veterinarian and meat scientist.

Brenneman: ‘Have conversations about what’s going on at the farm’ from 2018-12-03T10:58:47

The pork industry needs to do a better job telling its story — particularly about how it is improving, evolving and serving the best interests of consumers, producer Erin Brenneman told Pig Heal...

Scientist ‘pops the hood’ on US pork industry’s newest vaccine for PCV2 from 2018-11-28T04:00:40

What is “cell-mediated immunity” and how does it affect vaccine performance? Are two PCV2 genotypes necessarily better than one? And what does a monster from Greek mythology have to do with buil...

Part 1: Cell-mediated immunity critical to vaccine performance from 2018-11-28T03:00:25

What is “cell-mediated immunity” and how does it affect vaccine performance? Are two PCV2 genotypes necessarily better than one? And what does a monster from Greek mythology have to do with buil...

Part 2: Why two PCV2 genotypes are better than one from 2018-11-28T02:00:43

What is “cell-mediated immunity” and how does it affect vaccine performance? Are two PCV2 genotypes necessarily better than one? And what does a monster from Greek mythology have to do with buil...

Part 3: Chimeric vaccines combine strengths of each antigen to provide better coverage from 2018-11-28T01:00:52

What is “cell-mediated immunity” and how does it affect vaccine performance? Are two PCV2 genotypes necessarily better than one? And what does a monster from Greek mythology have to do with buil...

Good nutrition, management can’t replace antibiotics, but they can help reduce the need from 2018-11-26T10:50:40

Producers looking to raise pigs with little or no antibiotics should consider nutritional strategies that help pigs build more immunity, according to Mike Tokach, PhD.

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ASF threat: Three US swine vets share insights from the frontline from 2018-11-15T07:21:54

The rapid spread of ASF throughout China and other regions of the world has raised concerns the disease will ultimately make its way to the US — a development that could cripple the nation’s por...

Ileitis: Is it possible to control in baby pigs without antibiotics? from 2018-11-07T20:17:49

Ileitis may be a ubiquitous disease in grow-finish pigs, but with changes in on-farm antibiotic use it could become a new, more common challenge in the nursery period.

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What have we learned about antibiotic-resistant genes in groundwater? from 2018-04-21T07:00:01

Swine manure is a valuable resource for cropland, but understanding its potential impact on groundwater is an ongoing priority.

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How close are we to having a Strep suis vaccine for pigs? from 2018-03-26T07:00:41

Although antibiotics provide a treatment option for Streptococcus suis — a common, widespread bacterium in swine — long-term management hinges on an effective vaccine.  

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USDA seeks comments on plans to modernize swine inspection from 2018-02-14T17:16:53

Spokespersons for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) made the rounds at the 2018 International Production and Processing Expo in Atlanta to drum up support for proposed rules to mo...

Healthy, stress-free GI tract is key to pigs’ long-term health from 2018-02-12T06:00:25

A healthy gastrointestinal (GI) tract is inextricably linked to the nervous system and is generally a strong predictor of a pig’s overall health, said a research veterinarian who specializes in ...

High-risk viruses survive in feed, threaten US pork from 2018-02-09T11:57:42

An investigation initiated by the Pipestone System and Scott Dee, DVM, continues to uncover more information about the link between feed ingredients and foreign pathogen movement.

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Pork producers need to proactively communicate with consumers to change the dialogue from 2018-01-15T07:00:52

Pork producers and swine veterinarians need to take a more active role in consumers’ food conversations for them to get an accurate picture of how pigs are raised, said Tamika Sims, PhD, directo...

In-feed antibiotics best addressed on a case-by-case basis from 2018-01-15T07:00:10

Adjusting to changes in how and when to use in-feed antibiotics is an ongoing effort. While those products are still available under veterinarian supervision for prevention and treatment of a sp...

Food-chain specialist: Communicate the emotional side of pork production, not the technical from 2018-01-01T17:30:53

The food supply chain has changed dramatically in the past 20 years. “It’s so much more complex and consumer driven,” said Justin Ransom, supply chain strategist. “Today’s consumer can ask for s...

Balancing good and bad bacteria key to effective gut health, nutrient absorption from 2017-12-28T07:00:25

Developing techniques and tools to encourage the growth of good bacteria in the gut is key to producing healthier pigs that require fewer antibiotics over the long term, according to swine nutri...

Boar stud requires high health status, zero tolerance for biosecurity errors from 2017-12-21T07:00:45

A boar stud producing semen for thousands of sows needs to maintain excellent health with the highest level of biosecurity possible.

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‘Secure Pork’ plan aims to ensure pig flow from uninfected farms during FAD outbreak from 2017-08-25T07:29:28

If a foreign animal disease (FAD) were to hit the US pork industry, the impact could be dramatic and widespread — most likely resulting in government-mandated quarantines around the affected are...

Pork industry teaming with NAHMS, FDA to score antibiotic use from 2017-08-10T14:50:53

National Pork Board’s David Pyburn, DVM, talked with Pig Health Today about two initiatives under way to help regulators grade the pork industry’s commitment to responsible antibiotic usage.

What’s the best PRRS strategy for your herd? from 2017-08-07T06:11:56

Every year, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) infects an estimated 25% to 45% of sow herds in the US, according to Clayton Johnson, DVM, Carthage Veterinary Clinic, Carthage, ...

Understanding swine flu’s diversity key to better control programs from 2017-08-03T08:35:23

The number of swine influenza cases as well as the diversity of circulating flu viruses have increased in the past several years, based on experience at Iowa State’s Veterinary Diagnostic Labora...

Want better biosecurity? Start with your pig trailers from 2017-07-27T06:58:39

Improving transportation biosecurity may be the last frontier the swine industry needs to conquer to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases. According to Butch Baker, DVM, the spread of...

Veterinarian offers tips for surviving a CSI audit from 2017-07-17T09:59:42

While audits are part of doing business, many pork producers still worry about going through the process. Amber Stricker, DVM, steps in to help clients prepare for or undergo an audit, which is ...

PEDV outbreaks prompt a ‘CSI Pipestone’ investigation from 2017-06-08T05:38:42

When PEDV devastated the US hog industry in 2013, the Pipestone System remained fairly unscathed, with only a couple of farms experiencing outbreaks. Their luck changed in January 2014.

Th...

M. hyo: Control or elimination? from 2017-06-05T17:27:53

Effective control of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyo) has to start in the breeding herd to prevent problems with the disease in finishers, according to Lucina Galina, DVM, director of technical...

New VFD rules affecting disease management for swine from 2017-05-30T12:28:14

The updated VFD rules that took effect in January 2017 haven’t required a big adjustment for the swine industry, but they have furthered the trend toward reduced antibiotic use — and the result ...

Iowa veterinarian sees benefits to early PRRS vaccination from 2017-05-30T12:21:10

It takes 3 to 4 weeks for pigs to develop immunity against PRRSV after vaccination with a modified-live vaccine, so vaccinating early gives them the time they need to develop immunity by nursery...

Opportunistic pathogens prey on newly weaned pigs infected with a primary virus from 2017-05-30T11:47:02

Around 50% of pigs weaned today likely are infected with a primary viral pathogen, like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) or swine influenza, reported Cameron Schmitt, DVM, Pi...

Positive-pressure ventilation makes a comeback to reduce PRRS transmissions from 2017-05-30T11:43:16

Producers looking for ways to reduce porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) find positive-pressure ventilation with some modifications works, especially in older building, accordin...

Positive-pressure ventilation makes a comeback to reduce PRRS transmissions from 2017-05-30T11:43:16

Producers looking for ways to reduce porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) find positive-pressure ventilation with some modifications works, especially in older building, accordin...

Positive-pressure ventilation makes a comeback to reduce PRRS transmissions from 2017-05-30T11:43:16

Producers looking for ways to reduce porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) find positive-pressure ventilation with some modifications works, especially in older building, accordin...