C4-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 23, 1993 \ Pennsylvania PRV HEADLINES / A bi-weekly communication from S PA Pseudorabies Committee and Penn State Extension v. to alert you to developments in PRV and its control \ PSEUDORABIES VACCINATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Dr. Amy J. Nesselrodt Dr. Paul M. Pitcher USDA Veterinarians In the last edition of Pennsylva nia PRV Headlines, issues sur rounding pseudorabies vaccina tion were discussed. This week, commonly asked questions will be answered. More than 200 of Pennsylvani a’s swine herds are being vacci nated against pseudorabies. There are many swine herds that are not vaccinating but which should because they are located near other herds that are infected with pseudorabies. Will vaccination prevent pseudorabies infection? Not always. Vaccination does not pro vide perfect protection against infection. Why, then, should I vaccinate? Properly administered vaccination is very effective at reducing or pre venting signs of pseudorabies in a swine herd. These signs were discussed in Saving Place OPEN HOUSE February 1 - February 6 ... Machinery Display Every Day ... Used Equipment Sale ... New Equipment Sale ... Special Parts Sale LOOK FOR DETAILS IN NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE an earlier article in this series (October 24, 1992 issue of Lan caster Farming). The signs of pseudorabies can be obvious and costly in an acute outbreak. Often, however, the signs are not as obvi ous. In the grow/finish herd, losses because of slower and less effi cient growth may be hard to observe unless careful measure ments of feed consumption and days to market are made. Even though these less obvious signs are harder to observe, they are very costly. Also, there is evi dence that pseudorabies infection makes a herd more prone to other, more devastating diseases such as rhinitis and pneumonia. Properly vaccinated pigs have greater resistance to infection with pseudorabies than unvaccinated pigs. This means that it takes a lar ger amount of virus to infect a vac cinated pig. Vaccination can allow the swine producer to avoid being quarantined for pseudorabies, because this resistance will help prevent infection of the herd if the pigs are exposed to pseudorabies. Exposure to infective doses of pseudorabies virus is much more likely during the cool months, so it is important to boost herd protec tion now. ANNUAL If they do become infected, properly vaccinated pigs shed much less virus than unvaccinatcd pigs. This prevents new infections and controls the spread of pseudo rabies on the farm and to neighbor ing farms. Is it cost-effective to vaccinate against pseudorabies? Yes. Field studies in Illinois and Minnesota have indicated that conversion of feed to pork can be improved by 6 to 10 percent when pseudorabies virus circulation is prevented by vaccination of fat hogs. Daily gain is also improved, so pigs reach market weight sooner. The Minne sota study found that one dose of vaccine given to fat hogs relumed an additional $l3 gross profit per Pig! The incidence of diseases such as rhinitis and pneumonia can be reduced by pseudorabies vaccina tion. A producer in Illinois esti mated that pseudorabics vaccina tion returned S 3 to $4 in improved performance for each $1 spent on vaccine. Do I need to vaccinate the entire herd, or can I just vaccinate my breeding herd? Experience has shown that it is difficult to prevent or eliminate the disease in a breed ing herd if virus is circulating on a nearby finish floor. Have fat hogs blood-tested for pseudorabies to determine if they have been circu lating virus. Vaccination is only one of sev eral tools effective at eliminating » HERMAN nJIsSL 7 MFG. CORP. (717) 354 ’ 9611 POi A V ZIMMERMAN Rugged, Heavy Duty WAGON GEAR - Models 880 SERIES PORTABLE UTIL pRT SrIES ERS BALE ELEVATOR • SYSTEM Available In 5000'Thru io^lo^m^tl^r Models 3000 to 24,000 GVW Also Available, pseudorabies from a herd. Several top managers in Lancaster County have apparently eliminated pseudorabies from their finish floors by using segregation and biosecurity techniques (see the Pennsylvania PRV Headlines col umn in the December 19, 1992 issue of Lancaster Farming). Their management skills ensure a stress-free environment for their hogs, which helps to prevent pseudorabies virus circulation. I have heard different recom mendations of how often to vacci nate for pseudorabies. What is the best advice? In the past, we advised vaccinating the breeding herd against pseudorabies twice a year or prior to each farrowing. However, experience has shown that the protection given by vacci- A FULL LINE OF EXHAUST FANS - Including Efficient Belt Drive Units With Housing Ana Shutter 24”, 30”. 36” And 48” nation may be gone in less than six months, making the herd prone to infection before the next booster is given. Ideally, the breeding herd should be vaccinated every three months, or four times per year. In many herds, it appears that vacci nating every four months or three times per year provides continuous protection against pseudorabics infection. A word of caution: If the herd is severely challenged at a time when protection is at a low ebb, vacci nating every four months may not be adequate to prevent infection of the herd. Try to time pseudorabies vacci nation to anticipate periods when severe challenge is likely (late fall, winter, and early spring). eon Rav Martin Excavating H 710 Ffvepolntville Rd. • Denver, PA 17517 General Excavating Site Preparation (215) 445-4667 p# "•’’tal jLh%. . 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