Recently, PED outbreaks caused by viruses with high sequence identity to those in US but with rather low impact have recently been reported in several European countries.

This trick consists in using a spring for holding the semen bag during the insemination.

Although the European exports have behaved well so far this year (the Russian embargo has been compensated), this is not enough: the weather has not favoured the BBQs in Germany and it is still too early for the summer pork consumption in the south European coasts.

Pigs can act as a source of new influenza strains with zoonotic potential, but the increase of the genetic diversity of the swine influenza viruses is largely due to the introduction of influenza strains of human origin. Therefore, it is highly recommended that all staff that has frequent contact with pigs should be vaccinated against influenza.

Diagnosis in oral fluids is indicated for the control of replacements on arrival and after the adaptation process, and of the different production batches, especially risk subpopulations such as animals with a slow growth rate.

Nothing has more impact on piglet survival that an adequate intake of colostrum.

Genetic and antigenic diversity of influenza virus should be understood as something dynamic and constantly evolving. So, it is crucial to encourage active surveillance of SIV in order to improve our knowledge of the SIV strains present in the European pig and their particular prevalence and impact in swine production.

It allows us to analyse virulence factors directly on the clinical sample, avoiding the intermediate stages of culture and determinations on each of the selected isolates, leading to considerable savings in time and costs.

The difference in the conversion rate expected within a practical range of average particle sizes between 600 and 1000 microns can be of up to 2-4% between both ends.

Mating the stimulated sows eases the sperm transport to the oviduct, where they meet the ova.

Big news in US as Seaboard and Triumph Foods announce plans to build and operate a large-scale packing plant in Sioux City. One of the things which this move signals is the further coordination of the production sector with consumer demand.

This article explains how the massive use of hormones helps synchronize heats and farrowings when workload scheduling, synchronization and production rates stability are priorities.

Flies are not usually seen as a real risk of infection between farms unless we're talking about very high-density areas. However, flies can travel long distances if captured when collecting carcasses.

The author questions whether the US virus is more virulent than the strain CV777 isolated in Europe in 1977 or whether the disease is indeed more devastating now than it was in the seventies in Europe.

Recently, PCV2 has been suggested as a pathogen able to induce diarrhoea in pigs, and PCV2-enteric disease (PCV2-ED) as a separate entity within porcine circovirus diseases (PCVDs) has been proposed.

Build a fence to keep the weaned piglets in a farrowing pen.

April has gone by with a surprising change in the trend of several European markets.

The most direct strategy to decrease the concentration in the air of airborne pathogens is dust reduction. This article describes the use of a particle ionization system called EPI.

Biosecurity measures for visitors should be implemented in all farms without exception, and hand washing with soap and subsequent disinfection should be compulsory in those farms where showering is not.

A strict schedule allows us to concentrate all the important events, and time periods where more attention/work is required, within the working days.

Influenza infections are self-limiting at the individual animal level with infection lasting between 5 and 7 days approximately. However, influenza virus is considered endemic in swine populations worldwide, and is not uncommon to find between 3 and 5% of pigs positive to influenza virus at slaughter.

Although piglet birth weight is the most influential factor affecting piglet survival other behavioral factors such as vitality and vigor of piglets at birth contribute to the overall likelihood of the offspring surviving.

How can we tell whether a transport vehicle is clean by just taking a glimpse?

Write down events or treatments on the windows as if they were a blackboard.

The current situation for PED is that of continual occurrence of moderate to severe outbreaks in many pig farms, across Asia, USA and elsewhere, on both naïve farms and those that have suffered previous episodes.

The results show that digestibility of the same diets is indeed higher for gestating and lactating sows than it is for growing pigs.

Everyone in the United States is waiting for the return of the seasonal pattern and the prospect of prices breaking out of this extended period of flat-lining which has gone on for almost two months now.

The great genetic diversity of East European strains has practical implications, the sensitivity of some of the diagnostic PCR methods can be compromised and the efficacy of the current PRRSV vaccines against the East European genetic variants still needs to be elucidated.

At autopsy of some affected pigs, the soft gelatinous oedema was evident in the eyelids, but also in the meso-colonic area of the spiral colon.

Many swine production units in North America have incorporated fumigation rooms into their barn design.

We concluded an Edema disease episode, which is extremely unusual at this age.

Guillem Burset comments on various current affairs of the European pig market: stocks and private storage, merger of Tican and Danish Crown, prospects on the price recovery…

Differentiating fostered younger piglets from old ones allows proper management.

Making use of the NET energy system for sows to formulate feeds makes it possible to achieve a smooth transition from gestation to lactation diets, which makes the transition period around farrowing easier for the sows.

Enric Marco tells us that of late, it is relatively common to see fattening pigs in their final phase exhibiting respiratory symptoms that respond poorly to antibiotic treatments. In these cases, we usually think of PRRS virus; however raising the possibility of a mixed viral infection is less frequent...

A definitive diagnostic evaluation of PRRS with respect to clinical disease requires that serological information be interpreted in combination with results from other virus assays.

PRRSV favours the appearance of secondary infections like the one caused by S. suis  due to the impairment of the alveolar macrophages cleaning functions.

Growth curves as a tool to help manage weight variability among pigs.

Sows inseminated with encapsulated semen had more sperm cells concentration at the site of fertilization.

The goal is to record the sows' feeding level when fed manually.

Unfortunately, it looks like the ground hog of pork price forecasts saw a long shadow when it emerged in late February and the tiny bubble of hope that the already late-to-end seasonal lows of winter were over was put on hold.

This watch has three circles: the blue one represents the hours, the green one the liveborn piglets, and the red one the stillborn piglets.

Replacement gilts recently introduced and piglets prior to weaning are the main risk groups.

Carcasses showed a good body condition and a pronounced cyanosis in the area of the ventral abdomen and the ventral throat.

Surrounding holdings with high hedge fences reduces the risk of airborne transmission.

The prices recover both in northern and southern Europe.

Today, nearly all genetic suppliers of replacement breeding stock in North America are free of M.hyo.

The goal is to lose as little time as possible when looking for someone on the farm.

PCR is expensive relative to other diagnostic methods.It should be kept in mind that a positive result on PCR indicates the presence of viral RNA and does not necessarily indicate the presence of infectious PRRSV.

A perfect antigenic match is ideal because it will result in little to no virus replication/damage, shedding or clinical signs. However, if the virus is similar enough to have cross-reaction, the infection can be reduced to as few as 2-4 days.

PRRSV does not favour infection by H. parasuis by reducing the population of alveolar macrophages, but by reducing their ability to inactivate the bacteria.

From 1977 through 2013 the dressed slaughter weight for barrows and gilts has increased an average of 0.6 kg (1.3 lb) per year.

Improve the piglets' comfort in the fattening rooms without compromising ventilation by placing an insulating material over the pens.

Hemolyzing E. coli are not the only ones that are pathogenic. Moreover, hemolyzing E. coli do not generally possess relevant fimbrial and toxin genes.

This clinical case study tracks the long term pattern and control of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (App) disease in a breeder feeder farm through the 1990’s.

Export markets may not be as robust as forecast by USDA due to very slow economic growth and actual recession in many countries. Add to that the massive value increase of the dollar versus its chief competitive currencies as the cost of oil plummeted…

App control is an essential link to control pleuroneumonia in PRRS-positive herds.

In February, the price should improve, slightly and with difficulty, but it should ameliorate.

PRRS virus infection can be considered common in areas of high pig density and, in such cases, the idea that biosecurity and can do little is widespread. However, proper biosecurity measures must be implemented in order to prevent the introduction of new strains.

Wrap the sow's card in a transparent plastic bag and write down on it the information with a thick marker.