Resolving the basis of viral and host variation will require identification and characterization of key B- and T-cell epitopes conserved among diverse PRRSV, and of the molecular and structural details of key effector antibodies, T-cell antigen receptors, and MHC molecules that mediate broad, cross-protective immunity.

Use of sows' ear tags for identifying each of the liquid feed valves with their corresponding number.

In the previous piece of advice we saw that obtaining foster sows by moving piglets "forward" had some disadvantages, which are solved by moving the sows "backwards".

Although a commensal, M. hyorhinis may cause serious systemic disease through mechanisms that are not fully understood.

Small piglets with a low viability are a growing problem, and they represent one of the main causes of pre-weaning mortality.

It has been shown that the efficacy of PCV2 vaccines was dramatically decreased in the context of husbandry deviations such as excess of cross-fostering, mingling at weaning or very large groups in nursery.

A very simple system for monitoring the heats of replacement gilts that consists of putting them ear tags at each of the two heats during the quarantine period.

One month after the beginning of the outbreak of reproductive failure in sows, acute respiratory disorder and diarrhoea that was non-responsive to antibiotics started in weaned pigs aged 6-8 weeks...

Constipation is one of the factors that are involved in pre weaning piglet mortality.

Control of outbreaks on problem farms in Asia remains an attempt to raise herd immunity by use of live virus feedback material. However, the current outbreaks have shown only transient herd immunity with these programs.

The role that wild birds can play in the spreading of this infection cannot be underrated.

Lameness is the second most common cause for the culling of sows.

The efficacy of PCV2 vaccines to control PCV2 associated diseases has been clearly demonstrated not only in piglets but also in sows. Moreover, it is also feasible to vaccinate sows and their offspring without hampering its growth during the rearing period.

The goal is to inseminate quickly the sows after the first stimulus by the boar, but keeping the stimulation.

The total cost of productivity losses to US producers is estimated at US$664 million annually but productivity losses are shifting from the growing pig herd to the sow herd.

One of the most frequent recommendations for improving the feed consumption in sows during lactation is using pelleted feed instead of meal. Nevertheless, this recommendation is not very well supported by experimental evidences.

There was a sudden increase in mortality in a site 2 farm with the loss of the "biggest piglets" in the group.No particular symptomatology was seen but every day some dead piglets were found.

The improvement in prolificacy seems to be linked, in many cases, to a lower uniformity of the weights at birth.

We achieved it combining the use of two ear tags per sow together with their strategic location in order to avoid losses due to biting.

The key benefits from the use of DNA information are a greater overall genetic progress, improved selection for ‘difficult’ traits such as piglet survival and ...

The goal is to have readily visible, quick, and handy information of the farm.

The prevalence of pleurisy is surprisingly high among pigs at slaughter. A recent review of available data ranged from 12.5% in the UK, 26% in Spain, to 41% of individual pigs slaughtered in one Norwegian study.

The goal is to protect the nipples of the future breeding sows during their first days of life.

Experimental Mhyo and PCV2 co-inoculations have resulted in somewhat divergent results.

A sudden death of animals, with no prior symptoms of disease, and clinical symptoms such as massive facial, ears and forechest oedema, as well as an increase of body temperature to 41.5ºC, were observed.

Farrowing is a painful and stressful process, especially in the case of gilts and dystocic farrowings.

It's necessary to promote a standardization of the causes of the losses/cullings of the sows. Some rules on which this standardization can be based on are proposed.

The performance decrease suffered by the piglets when weaned is one of the most worrying factors at the pig farms.

This protocol is a very useful diagnostic tool so we can have a comprehensive view of a farm on a certain moment.

Medication of the water in the tank in a quick way and without having to go up a ladder, and achieving a good mixing of the product.

The registration of the sow losses/cullings in the management computer programs is normally something easy, but it is not always given the importance that it really has so, sometimes, the registration is incomplete, with wrong dates and without writing down the cause of the loss/culling. Nevertheless, its correct registration and its later analysis can give us very useful information for the correct technical-financial management of the farm.

System for avoiding carpal injuries in suckling piglets.

A cough outbreak appeared in 8-9 weeks old piglets. It apparently was a "normal" outbreak that could be solved with a few days of antibiotic but the pigs did not respond to the treatment.

The piglets that suckle in the rear area of the udder start to eat feed before, and this would explain their better adaptation to the weaning.

PCV2 can be shed into semen by infected boars and research suggests that the virus can then be transmitted to gilts and sows by AI causing reproductive failure but there is no evidence that PCV2 in semen has effects on various characteristics of sperm cells.

The sow must be able to store enough calcium during the pregnancy to face the possible mobilizations during the lactation.

When using nurse sows (foster sows) whilst making some piglets "go forwards" before the expected time we end up weaning them one week before. This poses certain problems.

This study demonstrates the added profitability that air filtration can give to sow farms located in highly dense swine regions. However, it is important to point out that these figures are long term averages and not necessarily predictors for individual herds.

In a very near future we will have an enormous amount of data with more speed and ease than ever, and also from very different origins.

More than half of the pig population is housed in only one region with a very high pig density and it is very likely that elimination would only be possible with the help of a mandatory national program supported by the EU.

The goal is to increase the agility of the reading process of the body condition of the sows using the Renco device.

The pen and farm charts indicated a rapid jump to 40 % mortality in several finisher sheds over one to 2 weeks.

Genomic changes can be associated with increased virulence or decreased immunogenicity.

The decrease in the level of protein seems to be a promising strategy to increase the intramuscular fat, as long as the lysine level is adapted to the to the kind of pig used.

The goal is to make the management during the gestation easier using a different colour spray colour each week to mark the tasks carried out with the sows.

Surveillance includes the gathering, recording and analysis of data as well as the dissemination of information to interested parties so that actions can be taken to control disease.

Using tie wraps to tie quickly and efficiently navel cords of newborn piglets.

Teams from 54 research groups, led by the Universities of Edinburgh (UK), Illinois (USA), Uppsala (Sweden) and Wageningen (Netherlands) have sequenced the entire genome of the pig.

Only the 17% of the companies use more than the 75% of the collected information and only the 27% of them think that they use it better than their competitors.

The desired result of the strategic management of replacement gilts at a company level is to minimize the economical losses potentially caused by PRRS.

The litter size of the recent and the last farrowing batches was significantly reduced, and the suckling pigs showed an obvious varying weight, condition and viability.

The success of the genetic improvement programs of the pigs in favour of a better growth and feeding efficiency and against the backfat thickness of the carcass has entailed a clear worsening of the organoleptic properties of the meat.

The PCV2 has been associated, in an ongoing way and throughout time, with more pathologies called, collectively, diseases associated with the PCV2 (PCVDs): PCV2 systemic disease, PCV2 lung disease, PCV2 enteric disease, PCV2 reproductive disease,PCV2 subclinical infection and porcine dermatitis and nephropaty syndrome.

As of the 3rd-4th day of lactation it is not recommendable anymore to replace small piglets and piglets with poor a growth rate for good piglets, because it is probable that the teat that has to be used has already dried off due to the scarce stimulation received for several consecutive days.

We present a vitality test that is related to the pre-weaning growth and mortality.

In many occasions, the location of the heat lamp very near to the head of the sow can bother her.

The author considers which is the ideal day for the mating and sets out the improvements in the results obtained when weaning on Monday.

If the animals fast for some 12 hours before their loading onto the lorry we will reduce the compound feed consumption and we will improve the conditions of the transport to the abattoir. Nevertheless, adding up the transport and the waiting time at the abattoir we should not exceed 24 hours of fasting in total.

In previous articles we have talked about the importance of a good sow replacement, and we have explained methods to calculate an adequate sow replacement rate. In this article we are going to show an example of a bad replacement policy and its consequences throughout time on the productivity of the farm.

This trick allows us to save hypothermic piglets easily, quickly and with surprising results.