Importance of Breakthrough
Three diseases, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) and Seneca Valley A (SVA) endanger animal welfare, cost the U.S. swine industry hundreds of millions of dollars annually and threaten the global food supply. Pipestone conducted a study that confirms these diseases can spread through contaminated animal feed.
Details about this breakthrough
The study tested whether specific feed additives, or mitigants, can deactivate the viruses and reduce the spread of disease. Researchers introduced the three viruses into animal feed and then individually added five mitigants to the contaminated animal feed. The research team then tested the pigs at day 6 and day 15 for the presence of the three viruses and evaluated the animals for signs of disease. Despite the presence of PRRS, PED and SVA viruses in the feed, the mitigants protected almost all animals from becoming positive for infection by PRRS, PED and SVA and significantly reduced the number of animals that developed signs of disease.
This study is one of the first to produce results in a research setting that replicates commercial conditions. Principal Investigator Dee and collaborators suggest that pork producers consider using these mitigants to protect herds against these diseases.