The Manager of Swine Health Programs with Manitoba Pork says dealing with a new more virulent strain of PRRS has become one of the Manitoba Pork industry’s top priorities.
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome is a viral infection that affects pigs at all stages of growth.
A new more virulent strain of PRRS that has infected over a dozen swine farms in Manitoba over the past year has heightened the level of concern among the province’s pork producers and veterinarians.
Jenelle Hamblin, the Manager of Swine Health Programs with Manitoba Pork, says eliminating PRRS is a lengthy process but barns are at various stages, they’re working towards elimination or they’ve already eliminated it from their barns.
There are newer diagnostic methods that are being used that can provide a more precise classification of the virus and learning more about this new strain will help us to move forward in disease control. This new strain of PRRS is definitely more virulent. It’s hitting the herds quite hard and the significance is the lengthy eradication for the barns to get rid of it.
In an outbreak setting, when the disease pressure is so high, you can’t be too careful when it comes to your operation. This means that every external contact point, you’re diligent with practicing biosecurity.
Biosecurity itself is never meant to be easy but in the end practicing it effectively will help you and the industry as a whole on so many levels. Being that this is a new strain of PRRS, comparing notes on how different vets are dealing with it will help us to figure out what is working and what doesn’t.
~ Jenelle Hamblin, Manitoba Pork
Hamblin is hopeful her new role with Manitoba Pork in swine health will help increase communication on the PRRS front and open the door to more conversation on control strategies, as has been the case with PED. She says maintaining open communications is important for dealing with all diseases and keeps everyone working together for a healthy Manitoba swine herd.
