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Next Generation Swine veterinarians: Who are we and where are we going? J. Nerem
Veterinarians are important for the future development of the swine industry. "You miss more by not looking than you do by not knowing" (Dr. Bob Peters). We face many aspects and challenges beyond health, due to increased mortality in all production stages caused by numerous pathologies (PRRS, Mycoplasma, Influenza, PED, and other bacteria such as Glaesserella parasuis, Streptococcus suis).
A critical objective is to improve farm health, which is linked to improved animal welfare and higher productivity and profitability. They estimate a profit of $7.92/pig on farms with better versus worse health status. The new generation of farms looking at health require a focus on pathogen elimination, depopulation and repopulation systems, as well as choosing appropriate, high-health sources of replacement animals, and, most of all, maintaining the health status of farms over time through the new generation of biosecurity measures using scientific standardization of biosecurity protocols, auditing systems, and employee incentives based on production improvements.
PRRS cases on farms with complete and incomplete biosecurity systems represent 9% and 40% of cases, respectively, in a production system with 345,000 sows. All-in all-out systems are critical in the new generation of health, and it is essential to never assume that we are doing it right.
At Pipestone, 90% of producers would be willing to invest in improving biosecurity measures on their sow and finishing farms. In the finishing phases, risks are higher considering different origins, high-density areas, transportation, and quality of farm personnel. We must measure the return on investment of biosecurity measures based on the cost of disease.
They are doing a project on 100 finishing farms for this purpose. In the case of PED, they calculate a cost per pig of +$3. Other studies are based on the Top 10 biosecurity standards in a study on 168,000 sows in Sonora with positive results. Enjoy the ride - you never know who you might meet on your way to the farm.
An essential point is paying attention to farmers as the basis for implementing all the measures that veterinarians know must be implemented (SPS - Secure Pork Supply - US Swine Health Improvement Plan). The farms are the basis of the traceability of the whole production system and are the first thing we must protect along with the farmers. The new generation of traceability must be real-time, accurate, easy, and documented - included in the new computer technologies for future monitoring and assessment.
We must always focus on consumers and their demands, consumption preferences, product diversification, personal and social requirements, and expectations. New opportunities and changes will take place in the future such as crate free lactation and gestation, rational/restrictive use of antibiotics, pain mitigation within animal welfare aspects, and sustainability measures, without forgetting continuous training. "Giving Pig a Good Life 2024 - Champions the welfare of pigs". Gene editing will continue to provide new opportunities to optimize production, and we must actively participate in its implementation/results and problems that may arise and future opportunities in a symbiotic relationship between companies/producers/veterinarians. One day you wake up and discover that you are the oldest guy in the room. (Dr. Gordon Spronk)
Past, present, and future challenges for the swine veterinary profession. C. Rademacher. Iowa Pork Industry Center
Looking at projections for the veterinary profession, the USA is estimated to go from 80.000 to 98.000 veterinarians in 2030, due to companion animals, projecting new veterinary schools (10), which implies greater competitiveness in the new graduates. 40-50% of veterinarians will work in large corporations with better salary offers.
As for the training of swine veterinarians, they estimate more opportunities in the 39 schools. The curricula do not focus specifically on swine, as they are conditioned by each university's needs and state regulations. The evaluation of curriculum vitae places greater weight on coursework in small animals or horses than in swine. Completing training credits is vital in identifying potential candidates to develop their work activity in swine. Jobs in production will prevail over those in the industry as will technical services over academic ones.
In a survey of new graduates, they consider work/life balance will be more positive in the future, with many aspects to consider such as disconnection from work, 24/7 availability, flexible hours, and professional interactions (relationship with supervisor, work culture, travel time, training time, salary, greater presence of women). Until 2000, 55% of graduates were women. From 2000-2009 it was 75%, and currently it is 84%. Starting salaries in private practice range from $69,000 to $92,000. Current generations have difficulty understanding how they should work. C-style Cautions – systematic – private – objective – analytical – diplomatic – accurate – reserved (most veterinarians and Scientifics). This is still the greatest profession.
Successful disease eradication in the United States: What worked and why? J. Zimmerman
Eradicating foot-and-mouth disease in the USA cost $253M using stamping out. In 1914 an antiserum against classical swine fever was contaminated with the FMD virus and was the origin of the outbreaks.
Eradication requires consensus, knowledge, and leadership. There must be a consensus among producers, industry, and government with a comprehensive plan of how, when, and why. Leadership entails persistence, continuous learning, and communication.
They explain the case of Babesia bigemina in cattle in Texas, which was described in 1870 with up to 90% mortality in nursing calves. Precise epidemiological aspects were known in 1889 (transmission by ticks) and the first congress was held in Fort Worth in 1897, with the USAHA coordinating the programs in 1909. In order to establish a protection program in the states of North Texas, strict animal restriction laws were put in place after the Civil War.
The other example of eradication focuses on classical swine fever between 1961 and 1978 when farms were small and there were clear clinical signs/lesions. A diagnostic test on tonsil epithelial cells was available as early as 1964. The plan was done in four phases. In 1969 the vaccine was eliminated.
The eradication plan against Aujeszky's virus was carried out between 1989 and 2004 with a first phase of transition in farms, a second phase of sampling according to farm size to assess the epidemiological situation, followed by a DIVA vaccination to identify the virus circulation in the farms.
Today we have some additional problems in establishing eradication programs such as the sample size required depending on whether we assume a binomial distribution which in principle requires a finite population and that individuals are independent. Each segregated group of pigs is considered as a separate farm, as a premise. Another problem is the industry's metamorphosis, where the rapid movement of pigs, people, and transports between states (62,000 in 2022 and 61,000 farms in the USA) makes epidemiological monitoring difficult.
Approaches to disease elimination: A cross-species comparison with poultry. J. Higgins. US Meat & Export Federation
For the past 100 years, poultry and swine production have had multiple parallels regarding their production strategies, health changes, and consumer pressure surrounding the use of medications and welfare standards. Technological advances in both industries have been very prominent in the last 15 years. Regarding changes in the health situation, the adjustment of management measures and vaccination programs has been relevant. The poultry industry had to respond to highly pathogenic cases of influenza virus between 2015 and 2022 that have continued until the spring of 2023 with a depopulation of more than 60 million birds. Increased biosecurity programs and monitoring strategies have been augmented by such circumstances, which is also being done to prevent the entry of African swine fever.
New free-range poultry production systems are causing the emergence of old, already controlled diseases such as erysipelas, fowl cholera (Pasteurella multocida), egg drop syndrome, and coryza.
They are also implementing programs to eliminate pathologies that cause high mortality (>80%) such as Salmonella pullorum. Vaccination prevention programs are critical. Laying hens can have up to 15 vaccinations in 16 weeks of life, with systematic serological monitoring of maternal immunity in chickens. Both PCR and, recently, genomic sequencing techniques are used for the serological study and definition of more effective vaccination programs.
Driving demand worldwide: What are the economics? What can a veterinarian do? E. Borror, U.S. Meat, USA
Their mission is to increase the value and profit opportunity of meat exported from the USA. USMEF was established 15 years ago with offices and representatives in South America, Africa (Durban), Europe, and Asia, with headquarters in Denver. Veterinarians are a critical component in accessing export markets. Consumers around the world have different preferences and preventing transboundary diseases (ASF) and competitiveness (production efficiency and high quality) are critical to accessing markets. The attributes of truthfulness, animal care, and sustainability are essential.
With production lowering in the European Union, opportunities are opening up for the U.S. pork market. The impact of ASF has led to a 2% reduction in imports in 2024 (China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, and Australia). Production has decreased by 1-2% in Europe and increased in the USA and Brazil. China and the USA have adjusted their pig prices downward in 2023 reflecting their productions, while prices in the EU have risen. China's meat imports in 2023 totaled 7,155 million metric tons, down 0.5% from 2022 with a small increase in beef (+2%) and sheep (+10%) over pork (-5%) and chicken (-1%), which were down. The peaks of frozen beef import prices in China were in June 2022 and November 2023.
China had a record pig production in 2023, with 57.9 million metric tons and a sow inventory of 41.42 million. Large companies maintain the production of more pigs (11 companies produced 145 million pigs in 2023 with 15.4% more than in 2022). They had a big decline in 2019 and started to recover in 2021. Exports to China were affected by ASF in 2023: EU -1%, USA +2%, Brazil +4%, Canada -2%, and Chile +2% (source USDA/FAS January 2024). The big change between supply and demand is that the EU produces -2.7 million metric tons and China imports -2.7 million metric tons, the causes of the lower production being the costs imposed by regulations and their uncertainty, reduced demand within Europe, China's recovery after the outbreaks of ASF, traceability, diversification, and consumer confidence.
A consequence of ASF and COVID has been that the U.S. has surpassed Canada, Brazil, and Europe in export trends. One factor is that pork in the U.S. has become more competitive as European prices have risen due to reduced production and availability. European production is projected to fall over the next 10 years and U.S. production will continue to rise (+18% with +2.2 million metric tons). In 2023, the main supplier to Mexico and Canada was the USA, whose imports grew by 8% and 13% respectively in addition to +9% in Korea, +15% in Central America, +17% in the Caribbean, and +98% in Australia. U.S. exports are up 8%, robust in all markets except China and Japan (-7% and -4%). Its forecast for 2024 is +3-4% with a value of $64/pig. This meant that 25.4% of its production was exported in 2023. It should be noted that which pieces are exported varies from country to country (47% hams to Mexico, Canada, China, and Colombia. 19% loins to the same countries plus Australia). From 2015 to 2023 pork consumption in Europe fell from 34 to 30 kg/person, while it has risen in Korea, Vietnam, Mexico, Philippines, Colombia, Honduras, and Peru. In Japan, the consumption of bacon, sausages, and tongue is increasing. In Korea, the export potential lies in refrigerated cuts (ribs and belly), as well as in loin and new opportunities for processed products.
Australia, Brazil, and South Africa limit access due to PRRS. Thailand does not accept products due to PRRS or ractopamine. Brazil has some limitations due to its foot-and-mouth disease status, where the USDA only recognizes the Santa Catarina region as free in 2007 and three zones currently. Pork exports to Mexico fell drastically. The U.S. exports 10% of its production and 40% of its hams to Mexico. They conclude that the growth and profits of the U.S. pork industry depend on future exports. www.usmef.org
Driving demand: What the Pork Checkoff is doing with your money. What you need to do. B. Even. USA
The return on pigs produced this January was negative, as it was in January 2023, January 2013, and January 2003. The total cost of production has increased by over 50% since 2020 ($64 to $99/pig). In 2017 it was $62. The best January was in 2014; because of the porcine epidemic diarrhea cases, it was a record year for profits. From that year onwards, production has risen above exports and supply costs have increased. Domestic demand accounts for 60% of the budget. There is a need to build confidence in pork and add value to drive demand. 70% of pigs go for domestic consumption, underpinning consumer knowledge of nutritional value and taste, which varies considerably depending on the age of consumers.
Fresh pork consumption was 7.9 kg in 2017, with higher consumption by baby boomers (13.8 kg) and lower in Generation Z (2.64 kg) and millennials (6.26 kg), being similar in Generation X (9.67 kg) and the silent generation (10.64 kg). Eighty percent of fresh pork consumption is consolidated in 24 states and 50% in 10 states (California, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Illinois, New York, and Florida). 97% of the American population has increased its consumer responsibility in the last 20 years, with 112 million African American and Latino people who appreciate pork and who do not like to mix flavors.
Some of the priorities of the American swine industry are to keep ASF out of the country through their prevention - preparedness - response and business continuity plan where they have invested economic resources for traceability, sampling, and biosecurity plans since 2021 (SHIP Program).
They seek to connect product demand with animal health and consumer confidence, through ethical and scientific production principles, which act to debunk myths and improve image (Real Pork Trust Consortium). Consumers value the taste and flavor of the products along with the price. www.porkchckoff.org
Protecting the product: Are your clients participating in price protection? D. Baker, USA
Their consulting firm CIH has been working in financial risk management since 1999 and they have 700 clients in 15 countries. They base profit margin on pig weight and carcass yield, breaking expenses down into feed (corn, soybeans, DDGS, and others) and non-feed costs. Futures prices are correlated to local prices and can be used as a benchmark for projecting returns and costs over deferred periods. The open market margin is taken per head, per kg live, and per kg carcass. The profit return distribution follows a normal distribution. Risk management tools focus on forward contracts (pig sales and feed purchases) both spot and futures, with advantages and disadvantages. Other options are to make insured or optional purchases.
The relationship between protection and opportunities impacts cost depending on market volatility. The appropriate thing to do would be to maintain a balance between the two, knowing whether margin opportunities are attractive, how much margin time we are protected, and how much capital we require. The flexibility to increase profit margin is related to the percentage of production we can cover with margin.
Protecting the product: How I work with my packer. D. Murray, New Fashion Pork, USA
Their company has 60,000 sows and sends 1.2 million pigs to slaughter. They are present in 7 states and are members of Triumph Foods. The protection of pork products starts at the farm and continues at the slaughterhouse, where they establish work plans to ensure their quality (slaughterhouse lesions, sampling, carcass weight, fasting time, purchasing, unloading procedures, waiting periods, and slaughter procedures).
Every part of the pig has value, starting with the ears, which are sold on the market for $2-3/unit. Food safety requires individual identification to detect any anomaly, such as the presence of needles or abscesses at the injection site due to improper administration, in order to be able to segregate them. For example, Mycoplasma hyorhinis detected in the joints and septicemia cases that lead to the total seizure of the carcasses, in this case between 2.3-2.6%. They implemented a vaccination plan that allowed them to reduce the incidence to below 0.5%. Another point of special attention in improving food safety focuses on the cleaning system for the animals before slaughter, the transport trucks, and the waiting pens.
Protecting the product: A swine vet's job isn't done when the pig is loaded on the truck. G. Houston. Triumph Foods. USA
Animal welfare, food safety, and the quality of the final product are priorities in their slaughterhouses. They slaughter 21,000 pigs/day. USDA FSIS is the official service present at all times during slaughter (Federal Code Regulation title 9 chapter 3). Pig welfare comes first in loading and transportation since failure would mean direct losses. Pigs must walk to the slaughterhouse otherwise they must be removed from the food chain (euthanasia). In the ante-mortem inspection, any pig with defects (umbilical and scrotal hernias, abscesses, skin ulcers, cachexia) is segregated by the official authority as the first step in the inspection process. The floor of the holding pens should be solid, non-abrasive, and not slippery.
Inspecting the carcasses after slaughter and evisceration is the next step, where any lesion or macroscopic finding in any tissue is cause for seizure of the carcass. At this point, they are subjected to X-rays to detect the presence of metals.
They include a carcass sampling plan for microbiological studies along with other measures (antibiotics, ractopamine, calcium, iron, fatty acids) with a focus on completing all forms for export.
Pig survival
Early life gut development, feeding, management practices to maximize livability. M. Tokach. Kansas State Applied Swine Nutrition Team
Mortality has been increasing over the last few years in our most productive and efficient pigs. Productivity on our farms starts with the sow and more specifically in the gilts. Their health, development, and nutrition are critical. In gestating sows, body condition and conformation are critical, as is farrowing care, which is associated with the viability of piglets born and will impact increased survival in later stages. The fundamentals of life are nourishment (water and feed) and shelter (environment). Having lactating sows eat enough quantity and quality of feed is a critical point along with the quality and quantity of drinking water. The health of suckling piglets (E. coli, Clostridium, Rotavirus, epidemic diarrhea) is a critical factor in containing mortality.
They propose getting sows up twice a day versus once, both in gestation and lactation, which will allow them to be observed individually and detect any problems in real-time. Mortality before implementing such a measure was 15-18% and was reduced to 11-13%. When they increased care in the farrowing rooms, they observed a reduction in both suckling piglet and sow mortality, concluding that a greater time-work dedication to the sows pays off.
First-hand experiences and lessons learned with preweaning mortality. C. Haden, Pipestone
Average mortality in suckling piglets in the last five years is 14.4%, with 8.3% in the top 10% of farms and 20.2% in the worst 10% of farms. Analyzing the movements of lactating sows and their piglets up to day 7, where they establish hierarchies and each one establishes its own teat, is decisive in reducing the rate of crushing. Mortality is higher in sows that receive low-viable piglets and in nurse sows. Mortality is lower in those that donate piglets and in complete litters without piglet movement.
Sufficient colostrum intake is essential for survival because of its impact on thermoregulation and energy metabolism (Noblet, 1983). Managing nursing piglets by evaluating each movement in real-time is critical to controlling pre-weaning mortality by identifying individual sows with higher mortality. With their measures, they were able to reduce pre-weaning mortality by 12% and stillbirths by 15%.
Addressing pig mortality through understanding of transportation losses. G. Rosa, Wisconsin University. Madison
Sustainability in food production involves feed-water use, production efficiency, animal health, welfare, human health, and waste reduction. Big data involves collecting data and integrating, processing, and analyzing it. From data to optimized decision-making, there are descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive phases. The average number of pigs dying on the journey from farm to slaughterhouse is 0.76% with an average distance of 137 km and an average of 170 pigs/truck. The transporter had a positive effect on mortality during transport. It is also related to the weight of the pigs. They conclude that there are multiple causes and interacting factors, with no linear relationships. Another study on 76,566 pig movements over three years, shows differences between the sanitary origin of pigs, with an essential impact on disease transmission.
Key findings of the Improving Pig Survivability project. J. Gebhardt
In the USA between 30-35% of pigs born do not reach the slaughterhouse, so it is important to focus on improving health, welfare, and productivity. Their project is trying to identify the causes and define strategies. More than 60 graduate students are involved in the project along with 20 sponsors, and principal investigators from numerous university centers. In breeding sow mortality they focus on analyzing the body condition of sows at the end of gestation, as well as early interventions based on monitoring (treating lameness and any individual problems including the perineal index focusing on pelvic prolapses). At the same time, they analyze different nutritional strategies before farrowing (mostly the amount of feed before farrowing). The incidence of prolapse is higher according to farm size, farrowing induction protocols, tail size, hygiene, and feed particle size. Evaluating sow mortality 23 weeks before and after taking the averages, the mortality was 16.75% vs. 12.5%.
There are studies that identify genetic bases associated with the prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse. No improvements have been observed with the use of bacitracin salicylate in feed or with the infusion of ampicillin at the end of gestation. Regarding preweaning piglet mortality, the main measures are colostrum intake (300-350 g/piglet) and perifarrowing management, with no clear improvements with the addition of essential fatty acids during lactation. For mortality post-weaning to slaughter, the improved health status of the sows has a significant influence, as well as some genetic influence and getting the piglets to eat more feed in the first week after weaning. At this stage, they estimate that every 1% drop has an impact of $0.82-1.20/pig. They find no benefits in applying liquid attractants in the feed, providing oral dextrose, or increasing the linoleic-linolenic acid ratio. www.piglivability.org
Management
- They present a semen diluent without including antibiotics to avoid multi-resistances. Semen could be preserved at 5ºC, a temperature at which Serratia marcescens and Klebsiella oxytoca growth is inhibited, maintaining sperm quality and fertility.
- Flies are vectors of certain pathogens such as PRRSV, African swine fever virus, Seneca virus, and PEDV. An insect control program is recommended as part of the biosecurity measures. Flies can travel many kilometers and can generate bacterial antibiotic resistance (Enterococcus, Escherichia coli).
- Rats are also vectors and reservoirs of numerous infectious agents (Brachispira hyodisenteriae), and cause antibiotic resistance (tiamulin and tylosin) to these and other infectious agents. Swine dysentery was discovered in 1920 and has re-emerged in the USA in recent decades. Its causative agent is a hemolytic spirochete in its two main variants: Brachispira hyodisenteriae and Brachispira hampsonii, which cause muco-hemorrhagic diarrhea and malabsorption, with considerable losses of body condition in both growing and finishing pigs. The bacteria can be in the feces of rats and mice for up to 200 days.
- When done correctly, disinfection is an important measure to reduce the presence of pathogens on farm surfaces. Not all disinfectants act in the same way, and their efficacy, application, safety, and cost should be considered. They are classified into three main groups: denaturants (quaternary ammonium, phenolics, and alcohols) that cause the breakdown of protein and lipid structures of viral envelopes; reactants (formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, and ethylene oxide) that break covalent bonds altering the structure and synthesis of DNA-RNA; and oxidants (hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, peroxides, iodates) that oxidize enzymatic and protein structures of infectious agents. Oxidants are inexpensive and fast-acting and are considered mycobacteriocides, sporicides, and fungicides, and are even capable of killing non-enveloped viruses. Environmental conditions influence the efficacy of disinfectants. Glutaraldehyde has very little activity at low temperatures (it is important to consider whether we wash with cold or hot water). Another critical factor is its effect in the presence of organic matter, which in some cases is drastically reduced. The return on investment of the use of the most appropriate disinfectants can be measured based on the health of the animals determined by their productive indexes, lower mortality, and therapeutic expenses.
Antonio Palomo Yagüe
