Think of where the industry was 10 years ago in managing Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Disease (PRRS), and look at where it is today. There is no comparison. Immeasurable progress has been made on PRRS in the last decade, but there are still unknowns and the disease continues to be a challenge for producers. According to a National Pork Board study, PRRS costs the swine industry over $560 million per year in estimated losses.
That is why Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI) has supported and promoted the Advancement in PRRS Research Award Program since 2003. The company is committed to aiding the scientific approach to research for the purpose of understanding and managing the PRRS virus. Each year, BIVI awards $75,000 to support research studies related to PRRS. Proposals are selected based on their practical application and ability to improve the diagnosis, transmission, control and prevention of PRRS virus.
Paul Ruen, DVM, vice president of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, served on the PRRS Research Review Board and noted that this year’s committee received a large number of research award proposals, all well presented and worthy of consideration. “The high level of interest in PRRS research is indicative of the importance of this disease in today’s swine production systems,” he says.
Following are the 2010 research award recipients and their research proposals:
• Robert Morrison, DVM, Ph.D., University of Minnesota – A study to compare whole-herd exposure programs as an aid in eliminating PRRS virus from sow herds.
• Paul Yeske, DVM, MS, Swine Vet Center, St. Peter, Minn. – A study to evaluate airborne shedding of Ingelvac® PRRS ATP vaccine in commercial conditions.
• Josh Bowden, DVM, MS, Premium Standard Farms, Inc., Princeton, Mo. – A study to assess the impact of vegetative environmental buffers on local aerosolized spread of PRRS virus.
• Mark Wagner, DVM, Fairmont Veterinary Clinic, Fairmont, Minn. – A study to evaluate aspirin for reduction of fever and improvement of performance in isowean pigs with uncomplicated PRRS virus infections.
The independent PRRS Research Review Board conducts a rigorous evaluation of submitted proposals. The studies are selected based on established criteria that include potential for economic impact to the swine industry; originality and scientific quality; and probability of success in completing the study.
In addition to Dr. Ruen, members of the PRRS Review Board included: Bill Mengeling, DVM, Ph.D., Iowa State University/NADC (retired), Ames, Iowa; Montse Torremorell, DVM, Ph.D., University of Minnesota; Tim Loula, DVM, Swine Vet Center, St. Peter, Minn.; Luc Defresne, DVM, Seaboard Farms, Shawnee Mission, Kan.; and Daryl Olsen, DVM, Audubon-Manning Veterinary Clinic, Audubon, Iowa.
The four research proposals were selected based on established criteria that include potential for economic impact to the swine industry; originality and scientific quality; and probability of success in completing the study.
The PRRS Research Award Program has been critical in improving our understanding of the disease. Since the program’s inception, BIVI has given over $450,000 to fund valuable, innovative field research programs on how PRRS virus is transmitted, what type of testing and eradication methods are most effective, and improved modeling of PRRSV concentration and shedding patterns, among other advancements.. This commitment to research and education will help the industry find answers to effectively control, and eventually eradicate this costly disease.
“Thanks to ongoing research programs such as this, and the efforts of countless veterinarians and researchers across the country, we have made tremendous headway in developing highly effective strategies to better manage PRRS on the farm,” says Dr. Ruen.
Proposal entries for the 2011 Advancement in PRRS Research Awards are due Jan. 1, 2011. For more information visit www.PRRSresearch.com.
The 2010 BIVI PRRS Research Award winners are (l-r): Drs. Robert Morrison, Mark Wagner, Paul Yeske and Josh Bowden.
Editor’s Note: This commentary is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI). Some of the material in this commentary was provided by BIVI. For more information, please visit: www.bi-vetmedica.com.
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