Biosec
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
NEW HOLLAND (Lancaster
Co.) Pork producers should
understand the three rules of biose
curity in controlling swine disease:
“isolation, isolation, isolation,”
according to Dr. Warren Wilson,
veterinarian with Miles Animal
Health.
Wilson spoke to ISO pork pro
ducers and agribusiness represen
tatives at the first annual Pork Pro
duction Forum at Yoder's Restaur
ant on Wednesday.
According to the Miles veterin
ary technical services veterinarian,
two areas pose special problems in
controlling swine disease: the area
of load-out and how dead animals
are handled.
What producers should concen
trate on in limiting disease trans
mission and outbreak on the farm
are the location of facilities and
“people management.” And dis
ease should be handled, not only
because it can be extremely costly,
but because of the “frustration fac
tor” for the business.
“The frustration factor of dis
ease on people is really demoraliz
ing,” Wilson said.
Following are procedures that
producers use to successfully con
trol disease:
• Provide shower-in, shower
out facilities for workers. Monitor
those who enter the hog facility.
Make sure they follow the cleanli
ness procedures before entering
any hog facility.
• Provide an office or lounge
area for personnel to change into
unit clothing.
• Ensure that workers don’t exit
the facility with unit clothing.
• Make sure the facility is bird
and rodent-proofed. „ tptally
enclosed on concrete.
• Keep monthly .pest control
procedures on schedule. Monitor
and control rodents.
urity Vi
Scott Augsburger, Rey
nolds, is one of the new Lan
caster directors of the
LanChester Pork Producers.
Slaughter trucks should be
monitored intensively. “Slaughter
trucks are one of the most likely
ways for the farm to get contami
nated,” said Wilson. “It is
extremely critical you make sure '
you know where the truck has
been.”
Also, producers should be care-
ful when “sharing equipment,”
because that’s another potentially
dangerous -source of disease.
Feed trucks are another poten-
tial source. In Wisconsin, all feed
( truck companies carefully clean
and disinfect the trucks on a regu
lar basis. Also, monitor com qual
ity for mycotoxins and other sour
ce of pathogens. Feed spills also
provide a tremendous source of
bacteria and viruses that can be
transmitted to swine by birds and
rodents.
triple h Construction
430 springvllle Road, Ephrata, PA 17522
tal To Controlling Swine Disease
Wilson challenged the produc
ers to employ the technique known
as MBWA Management By
Walking Around by taking a
look at all areas of the operation
and fixing up those that put swine
health at risk.
“Pig production is basically
people management,” be said.
“The best swine producers keep
careful details with records. Detail
people are very good with swine
producers.”
Also, the vet can also be a poten
tial source of disease introduction
into the farm. It is important that
the vet also employ good biosecur
ity on the farm making use of
sterilized equipment and supplies.
Wilson emphasized the impor
tance of proper animal disposal
(using enclosed incinerators in a
separate building or some way of
adquate disposal that doesn’t
threaten farm biosecurity) and load
out (using one-way gates and
doors and using all-in-, all-out pro
cedures that don’t mix potentially
disease-carrying hogs).
For maximum production and
maximum profit, Wilson indicated
the producer should be concerned
about the swine environment “If
we can have a 90 percent Carrow
ing rate and 10-11 pigs bom alive
and bring all to farrow that are
bred, we’d have no problem,” he
said.
Unfortunately, that’s not the
case with many producers.
Producers should look into what
may cause prolonged weaning-to
estrus intervals (excessively hot or
cold environment?), make sure
estrus is detected on time (is this a
management or social problem?},
low farrowing rates (under 50 per
cent is critical and needs to be
looked at closely), and dealing
with pseudopregnancy (is it caused
by disease, enviromental. or feed?)
Ultimately, the facility has “a
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ihall bring forth a son, and
i alt call him Jesus: for he shall
people from their sins."
Matthew 1:21
all of our valued
riends and loyal
tomers we offer
thanks and best
shes for a very
ierry Christmas
id a prosperous
year in 1995.
*** IN4-A35
inarian with Miles Animal
Health, spoke to 150 pork pro
ducers and agribusiness rep
resentatives at the first annu
al Pork Production Forum at
Yoder’s Restaurant on
Wednesday.
tremendous influence on repro
duction,” said Wilson. Producers
should follow the ‘ ‘5O-80-30’ ’ rule
swine breathing should not
exceed SO respirations per minute,
the house temperature should nev
er rise above 80 degrees F., and the
humidity should never exceed 50
percent in the house.
Wilson indicated that producers
should work closely with their feed
provider and veterinarian to
employ methods of controlling
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disease on the farm.
Abe Fisher, Pennsylvania Pork
Producers, told the producers that
the pseudorabies virus (PRV)
Eradication Program is continuing
to improve the PRV status in the
state. At this time last year, he said,
there were 118 quarantined herds.
As of Wednesday, there were 78.
Of the 78,72 had herd plans, and
13 were testing off. However,
there are six herds that still must
begin a successful eradication
program.
Fisher said that Pennsylvania is
still only at the Pork Quality
Assurance Level n, while many
other states are at level 111 and bey
ond. Delaware is at Level IV, New
Jersey at 111, and Ohio at IQ. If the
number of herds under quarantine
in Pennsylvania drops to 75. the
state is eligible to go to Level in.
Plans are important to protect
the other producers who have
brought PRV under control. Those
that haven’t developed and imple
mented a herd plan could face
depopulation in the future, Fisher
indicated.
Also, review of Level E and 111
programs and certification were
provided during two concurrent
seminars at the meeting.
The Pork Production Forum
replaces the annual LanChester
Pork Producers Annual Banquet,
normally scheduled for January.
At the meeting this week,- new
directors were elected. They are
Ronald Butt, Lincoln University,
Chester County; Scott Augsbur
ger, Reynolds, Lancaster; and
Robert Hess, Mount Joy,
Lancaster.
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