Swine Farms Vary In Their Risk From Endemic PED

Feb 18, 2022

The researchers analyzed data on PED surveillance collected July 2014-June 2021 from 1,100 breeding farms in 27 states. The data came from the Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Project at the University of Minnesota, and the researchers identified 625 outbreaks at 373 farms during that time.

Kimberly VanderWaal, PhD, who is one of the article authors and an associate professor in the University of Minnesota Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, said the project tracks PED in about half the U.S. swine breeding population, and about 7% of those sow farms have a PED outbreak in a typical year. The regions with low incidence could move toward eliminating the virus with a concerted industry effort, she said.

Dr. VanderWaal said the research team also has found that, on average, a typical sow farm would have an outbreak about once every 10 years, down from once in 2.5 years early in the virus’s emergence in the U.S.

The Swine Health Information Center funded the research. Dr. Paul Sundberg, executive director of the SHIC, said the biosecurity measures to keep PED off farms are well known.

Click here to see more...

Video: Genomic Technologies and Public Trust - Dr. Ellen Goddard

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Ellen Goddard, Professor Emerita at the University of Alberta, discusses public acceptance of genomic technologies in pork production. She explains why disease resistance is viewed positively, how labeling affects trust, why farmers remain highly credible messengers, and how communication can shape consumer confidence around gene editing. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Not providing information is a choice that can affect long-term public trust."

Meet the guest: Dr. Ellen Goddard / ellen-goddard-11541138 is Professor Emerita at the University of Alberta and an agricultural economist. Her work focuses on consumer behavior, trust, livestock sectors, and public attitudes toward food technologies. She also specializes in economic modeling for pork, beef, and dairy systems. Learn more from Dr. Ellen Goddard on the Swine in Canada Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.