Farms should prioritize biosecurity, according to an Iowa State research

Iowa City, Iowa – Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) costs farmers $1.2 billion a year in lost productivity, according to a study out of Iowa State University.

Although herd culling is frequently the most cost-effective option when PRRS is diagnosed, it is still quite expensive.

Iowa Farm Sanctuary was co-founded by Shawn Camp. She prevents the transmission of diseases and saves animals who have been in car accidents or affected by natural catastrophes.

“We mitigate our risks by keeping animals separate,” said camp.

Any newly rescued animals or sick animals on her farm are placed in a quarantine zone. Diseases can run wild, she warned, because animals on commercial farms typically do not get this kind of extra area.

“When you’re in a concrete building or a steel building with a concrete floor, they’re living in it. That stuff just gets into their respiratory system,” Camp said. “I don’t know if you’ve ever been in a hog confinement, but you can’t breathe the air.”

According to research out of Iowa State University, PRRS had an 80% increase in economic impact from 2010 to 2020.

Even the study’s creator, Dr. Derald Holtkamp, was taken aback by the results.

”It’s bad, but it’s been bad for so long it no longer gets people’s attention,” Holtkamp said.

All hogs, regardless of age, are susceptible to PRRS, which also affects breeding pigs and their respiratory systems.

Holtkamp stated that diseases such as PRRS not only affect producers financially, but also cause pig products sold in stores to be more expensive.

”The only reason they don’t notice it is because PRRS has a relatively similar impact every year, and so they don’t notice the price going up and down. But if you were to do away with PRRS overnight, it would have a big impact on the price consumers would pay,” Holtkamp said.

According to Camp, the situation is exacerbated by the practice of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) used by commercial farms.

”If you had even a 50% reduction to the animals in that space, you’d probably see a lot less disease,” camp said.

According to research out of Iowa State University, better biosecurity practices, such as washing hands thoroughly before handling feed or anyone entering the farm, are the greatest approach to prevent the spread of disease.