D2-L*nc«t«f Fanning. Saturday, Saptambar 9, 1995 PORCINE REPRODUCTIVE AND RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (PRRS) PRRS has been in the U.S. for the past eight years. In that time, it has not generated any sentimental value. Reproductive failures from PRRS cost $lOO to $5lO per sow. The respiratory problems asso ciated with PRRS in the growing pig reportedly cost an additional $7.50 to $l5 per pig marketed, although many would consider these estimates too low. The following article is based on numerous published reports as well as observations of several vet erinarians Dr. Robert Graybill, Dr. Jerome Harness, Dr. Larry Hutchinson, and Dr. Timothy Trayer. Nature Of PRRS The PRRS virus was identified York Farm Credit To Issue Patronage Checks YORK (York Co.) Member-borrowers of York Farm Credit will receive paironage re fund checks for 1994, it was announced by Jay V. Rush, president The patronage refund for borrowers of York Farm Credit will total more than $1.6 million. Borrowers will receive, on average, a rebate of 1.17 percent of the inter est Farm Credit earned on their loans in 1994. Twenty-five percent or $4OB thousand, of the refund will be paid in cash. The balance will be placed in allocated surplus m the names of individual member-bor rowers. “York Farm Credit had another successful year in 1994, and we are pleased to be able to share our success with our borrowers," said Lester E. Marlin, chair-) man of the York Farm Credit Board and farmer from Chambersburg. “This is the fifth conse cutive year we’ve paid a patronage refund. Since' 1990, York Farm Credit has returned a total of 51. 6 million to its mem ber-borrowers through patronage refunds and surplus revolvements.” in Lelystad, Netherlands in 1991, some four years after the disease was first characterized. A short time later, it was also isolated in the U.S. and Germany. The virus affecting hogs in Eur ope is essentially the same virus as that found in this country. Howev er, there are*ciifferent strains, and based on recent studies at lowa Slate University, there may be a five-fold difference in virulence among various strains. What the disease looks like will depend upon the disease organ isms already present on the farm. In the reproductive form, PRRS results in 1-4 months of reproduc tive failure. Sows often go off feed, run a fever (104-106 degrees F), and abort (usually late in pregnan cy) or deliver pigs at 105 to 112 days. Death rates in sows following 0% ■ 12 Mot. s Months 4.9% ■ 24 Mot. OR Wtlvtr Of 7.9% ■ 36 Mot. Flnanctl ...Now Available On Moat Badger Equipment! Badger Liquid Manure Pumps, Spreader Tanks and Box Spreaders Clinical Signs NEW... xj||adqer) Your Dealer out The All New BN 104 PUMP infection can be high in some herds, according to Dr. Harness. The virus can cross the placenta and infect fetuses, causing an increase in stillboms and mummi fied pigs. The mummies will be delivered full size early in the course of the disease, and become smaller in the weeks to follow. Once all breeding groups have far rowed, reproductive performance may improve, but it often doesn’t because of virus recirculation. In the respiratory form, thedust and bacteria-eating macrophages in the lung are destroyed. Because of this, growing pigs often suffer from other diseases. The most common secondary invaders include Pasteurella, Strep suis, Haemophilus parasuis, hemolytic E, coli, Mycoplasma, Salmonella cholerasuis, Bordatel la and Actinobacillus. This stage of the disease often follows the reproductive “storm,” but it can also occur without reproductive problems. Newborn pigs infected with PRRS are weak at birth, become lethargic, take on a rough hair coat, and may suffer from bacterial sep ticemia and diaVthea. Mortality and cull rates are high, especially in farrow-to-finish enterprises. Pigs in the finishing phase have mild to moderate respiratory dis ease, depending on the presence of other respiratory problems. Transmission The PRRS virus is extremely infectious. Jeff Zimmerman, a Badger BNIBS Souper Trail Pump/Agltalor ■ Up to 26,000 GPM agitation capacity ■ Standard 28 foot length extendable to 38 feet for really big lagoons ■ Choice of cutter blade or propeller options to match biggest agitation needs ■ Exclusive internal shear bar chops even straw-laden manure ■ Semi-cupped impeller paddles for high capacity pumping From * Running Th* fflaW Ck»mbJn«ion • V .' ■> " *' * DVM researching PRRS at lowa State University, suggests that the dose level may approach one virus particle. Scientists are still uncertain how the virus spreads from pig to pig or farm to farm. Zimmerman reports that fecal shedding is the main way PRRS is spread. Reconsiders nose to nose contact and aerosol trans mission secondary (attempts to make the virus spread just 20 feet through the air have failed). How ever, Dr. Robert Graybill, DVM from Lancaster, Pa., believes the aerosol route is a major factor. A field study in Germany sug gests that airborne transmission is significant up to 1.24 miles. Clear ly, the PRRS virus is persistent in the upper respiratory tract, and at least two studies have demon strated difficulty in isolating virus from manure. The virus also can be shed in semen for as long as 43 days after infection. A study in Britain indi cated PRRS was likely spread to non-infected farms via purchased semen. Researchers at South Dakota State University have shown that gilts can become infected by artificial insemination using unextended semen from experimentally infected boars. Studies at lowa State University show that the PRRS virus may affect fertility, and vaccinating boars with the PRRS vaccine may reduce virus shedding in the semen. Diagnosis PRRS diagnostic workups Badger Bbwers Beat Bottlenecks Modal 8N2060 ® EMPLOYEE-OWNED. QUALITY DRIVEN. ■ Designed for plug-proof operation ■ Unload wagons (aster, Fill silos more efficiently ■ Choose from Model 8N2054 or New Model 8N2060, (or bigger silos ■ Rugged, heavy-duty construction ■ Adjustable shear bar prevents hair pinning, carry-over and power loss. ■ All material goes up the pipe in the air stream ■ Flexible wind guards minimize spillage. should include symptoms in thi pig, as well as characteristii lesions in the tissue, virus isolatioi from tissues or blood, and bloot tests to detect the presence ol antibodies. At present, blood samples can be submitted to any of Pennsylva nia’s animal diagnostic labs (Penn State, Summerdale, or University of Pennsylvania) for the ELISA test The state labs can also per form virus isolation. Control The strategy for controlling PRRS (stopping virus spread) is simple in theory but difficult in practice. Often populations of negative animals exist beside groups of positive animals. If a negative animal picks up the virus, the resulting infection leads to heavy virus shedding and subse quent infection of other “naive” pigs. This phenomenon is espe cially true in breeding herds that receive replacement gilts every month or so. As a result, the level of immunity never stabilizes and virus shedding persists. The following cleanup steps are those recommended by Dr. Scott Dee, DVM from Morris, Minn.: ■ Step 1. Isolate and vaccinate (under veterinary supervision) incoming gilts. Gilts should be vaccinated upon arrival and iso lated off-site. After 30 days, vacci nate again and isolate another 30 days. After this two-month period, gilts can be moved to the breeding herd. (Turn to Page D 3) See Your Local Badger Dealer HONESUALE SPREADING SERVICE INC. SOS Cliff St. Honesdale, PA 18431 (717) 253-2410 CHIDESTER FARMS RD 2, Box 75 Kingsley, PA 18826 (717) 289-4260 MELVIN G. MILLER RT 2, Spring Mills, PA 16875 (814) 422-8279 • PIKEVILLE EQUIPMENT INC. RT 2, CHey, PA 19547 (215) 987-6277 BHM FARM EQUIP. INC. RR 1, Annville, PA 17003 (717) 887-2211 SHOW EASE STALL CO. 573 Willow Rd Lancaster. PA 17601 (717) 299-2536 DEERFIELD AG & TURF CENTER, INC. RD 2, Box 212 Watsontown, PA 17777 (717) 538-3557 HEFLIN SALES & SERVICE 12312 Oak Hill Rd. Woodsboro, MD 21798 (301) 898-3233 CHAMBERSBURG FARM SERVICE 975 S. Mam St. Chamborsburfl, PA 17201 (717) 264-3533 SOMERSET BARN EQ. R.D #5 Somerset, PA 15501 (814) 445-5555 McMILLEN BROS. RD 1 Box 134 Loysvllle, PA 17047 (717) 789-3961 HESS' EQUIPMENT Sales & Service RR 3, Mlfflinburg, PA 17844 (717) 966-2720 966-1908
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers