The UW-Extension Swine Team, in conjunction with Wisconsin Pork Association, will be hosting two webinars to provide details on the pending animal health rule that will establish herd testing requirements for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) and Swine Enteric Coronavirus (SECD) in Wisconsin. The webinars will be held on February 8 and March 6 beginning at 6 p.m.
- To register for the February 8 webinar, please visit https://goo.gl/S8tSvr.
- To register for the March 6 webinar, please visit https://goo.gl/nPJp3i.
The webinar links are also available on the WPA website at www.wppa.org. If you prefer to call in to the webinar over the phone, please use the links to register and call-in information will be provided via email. You may also contact the WPA office at 800-822-7675 for assistance with registering for the webinars. Both webinars will be recorded so they can be viewed at later dates.
Speakers on the February 8 webinar will include Paul McGraw, DVM, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, and Marcelo Almeida, DVM, Iowa State University. Dr. McGraw will provide details on the rule, including testing requirements prior to movement and what happens if a swine herd becomes positive. Dr. Almeida will provide suggestions for producers on how to meet the testing requirements, sample collection techniques, and more comprehensive testing plans should a farm become positive for PRRS or SECD.
The March 6 webinar will feature Dr. Gary Onan, UW-River Falls; Dr. Art Mueller, Stateline Ag Management Services; and Dr. Paul McGraw. Dr. Onan will share his experience of having PRRS in the university herd, including how they detected and responded to the virus. Dr. Mueller will provide tips for producers on how to create a herd plan should a farm test positive for PRRS and/or SECD, biosecurity recommendations, and practical knowledge on working towards a negative herd.
Testing Reimbursement Program
Throughout 2018, Wisconsin Pork Association (WPA) will be offering grants to individuals and farms who raise pigs in Wisconsin to help offset the costs of testing to meet the requirements in the rule. The grant reimbursement program will provide $25 per farm for each quarter of the year. The funding is available on a first-come-first-serve basis. To receive reimbursement, farms must complete a simple form and submit with proof of test completion to WPA. Proof of test can include a copy of a dated veterinary clinic bill that shows a line item for PRRS/SECD testing or a copy of a dated test report from a veterinary diagnostic lab (test results can be blacked out; proof of testing completion is all that is required for reimbursement.) Producers may apply more than once, but priority will be given to first time applicants to ensure equal distribution of grant funds. The reimbursement form, along with other details on the rule, can be found on the WPA website at http://www.wppa.org/proposed-changes-control-prrspedv/.
In addition, the Wisconsin Pork Association is offering one complimentary rope test kit to farmers. The kit includes a cotton rope, sample tube, and other materials to make for easy sample collection. Farmers can contact WPA at 1-800-822-7675 to receive a kit. Farmers can also assemble their own kits by purchasing 3-strand twisted undyed cotton rope at a local hardware store. Other supplies needed include a clean plastic bag; side cutters, knife or scissors; snap-cap, screw-top tube, or red-top tubes (can be obtained from a vet clinic); permanent marker; and gloves. For details on how to collect oral fluids, go to http://bit.ly/2He54vy.
Rule Summary
Swine moving into and within Wisconsin will have to meet new testing requirements beginning Feb. 1 according to Wisconsin State Veterinarian Dr. Paul McGraw. The new requirements are intended to help control the spread of two diseases: swine enteric corona virus disease, known as SECD, and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, or PRRS.
The goal of the rule change is to control and reduce prevalence of PRRS and SECD in the state, and to prevent spread on positive sites. A 2016 Pork Checkoff study indicated that PRRS continues to be a major drag on the U.S. pork industry – costing $580 million per year. Due to lower pig density within the state, Wisconsin has a fairly high herd health status. This rule could help improve the health of Wisconsin pigs, benefitting all producers.
The rule change will require farms with pigs to test for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) and Swine Enteric Corona Virus (SECD, which encompasses Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus and Porcine Delta Coronavirus) when moving from one premise to another within Wisconsin, or for pigs coming into the state. The rule does not apply to pigs moved directly to slaughter. For more specific details on the testing requirements, go to https://datcp.wi.gov and search “swine movement.”
