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This article focuses on PIC's Health Assurance program, which Tim Snider defines in this way: "It aims to protect the health of our customers' farms, as well as the entire supply chain required." PIC also offers other health services to its customers, consulting on gilt acclimation plans, vaccinations, disease control and eradication plans, etc., which will not be covered in this article.
Health Assurance
The program is based on two principles:
- Health surveillance aims to maximize the probability of disease detection.
- Biosecurity aims to reduce the probability of diseases entering farms.
Health surveillance
PIC delivers future breeding stock and semen to the different AI studs or GTC (Gene Transfer Center), genetic nucleus, multiplication farms, and production farms and is responsible for health monitoring on the contracted farms working as nucleus or multiplication units in its distribution chain. For distribution partners with their own veterinary services and logistic chain, PIC provides health surveillance and consulting.
The basic surveillance program is shown in this table:
| Routine diagnostics - nucleus/multiplier | Routine diagnostics - GTC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | Weekly | Bi-monthly | |
| 30 serum samples per month | 90/5 target for blood swabs | 15 serum every two months | |
| PRRS: | M hyo: | PRRS: | PRRS and M hyo: |
| ELISA → individual PCR → pools of 5 |
ELISA → individual on 15 samples | PCR → Pools of 5 | ELISA → individual |
Snider emphasizes that this is the basic program, upon which additional diagnostic monitoring is added according to the specificities of particular countries or customer needs. For example, in Spain, in the boar studs controlled by PIC, the number of individual ELISA tests for PRRS are more frequent and are performed weekly. In addition, according to customer demand, PCR tests for PRRSv are performed on ejaculates prior to the delivery of seminal doses.
The surveillance program is complemented by monthly visits from PIC's veterinary services. For the AI Studs Snider says that European legislation requires a weekly visit by a veterinarian and PIC maintains direct contact with them. In addition, all PIC farms and boar studs receive additional regular visits from an external consultant.
Snider affirms that epidemic diseases such as PRRS, M. hyopneumoniae, swine dysentery, pleuropneumonia, atrophic rhinitis, etc. cannot be present on farms doing genetic selection. All PIC selection farms are free of PRRS and M. hyopneumoniae; for all other pathologies, surveillance is based on clinical observation of their farms and client farms, as diagnostic surveillance is considered complex.
Then there are endemic microbial agents that are present on all pig farms and from which it is not possible to be "free", although this does not mean that clinical disease is present (E. coli, Rotavirus, Streptococcus suis, Lawsonia intracellularis, Mycoplasma hyosinoviae, M. hyorhinis etc.). Regarding these agents, there is a collaboration between the PIC veterinarian and the client, including information on the serotypes present on the farm, advice on adaptation plans, vaccination programs, etc. This is especially important when introducing animals to new clients, population of new farms, changing source farms, etc.
Biosecurity
People: Snider leaves no room for doubt: "The basis of PIC's biosecurity program is people. They work on biosecurity culture, where besides protocols, a lot of time is spent on training the staff and making them feel involved in the "protection" of the farms.
Biosecurity is all the physical barriers and protocols that are continuously followed on a farm. This involves not only the farm personnel but also those who design the farm, those who build it, the owners, etc.
Objectives:
- Protect the health of client farms.
- Protect the health of PIC's farms and minimize the negative impact of diseases on the dissemination of genetic improvement.
- Maintain PIC as a recognized agent in health matters in different professional, scientific, governmental, etc. forums.
Protocols
The commitment of the people and the defined objectives are complemented by biosecurity and health protocols, which at PIC are summarized in the PIC Bioshield program. It is impossible to detail here each of the protocols outlined in this table:
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Facilities: |
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Feed: |
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Live pigs and semen: |
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Transport: |
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People: |
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Mortality management: |
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Equipment and supply entry: |
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Manure management: |
The different protocols are taught through infographics and videos, translated into different languages to facilitate the understanding of those involved.
We asked specifically about transport protocols. Snider tells us that they work with selected transport providers, most of whom they have been working with for years, and have drivers and transporters dedicated exclusively to transporting breeding animals. They must follow the cleaning and disinfection (C&D) protocols set by PIC, which include downtime.
He also explains that more and more progress is being made in the implementation of thermal decontamination and disinfection systems. In Ireland, this system is already in place for 100% of the genetic nuclei.
In addition, protocols for transportation include: annual training of drivers, training of new drivers, consultancy for the C&D centers used, etc.
The Bioshield program includes other aspects such as the involvement of veterinary services, the logistics chain, external partners and the BAT program (Bioshield Action Team), which are work teams that carry out monthly biosecurity reviews.
Also included are annual biosecurity evaluations of farm locations, feed mills, cleaning centers, etc.
Something new that will start to be implemented in Europe in 2022 is the SCAN program, which aims to allow any PIC technical service person and farm personnel to get involved or suggest improvements in biosecurity and animal welfare issues
Finally, Snider explains that the Bioshield program also includes the resources needed to investigate the occurrence of an outbreak and its cost and to learn from mistakes.
