The module focuses on porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and disinfection of production facilities.
Justin Brown, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Iowa, emphasized that disinfection should take into account the chemical class of the product, its concentration, application method, contact time, organic load, temperature, stability and storage, safety, etc. The speaker also emphasized that the surfaces of production facilities should be clean before disinfecting them.
Dr. Brown emphasized that confirmation or refutation of PRRS always requires laboratory testing, as the diagnosis cannot be made on the basis of pathognomonic symptoms or pathological changes, either general or histological. The speaker also commented that the best way to control PRRS in the United States (80% of PRRS-positive farms) is to follow vaccination protocols.
The same opinion was confirmed by Tomas Trela, PhD, member of the American Association of Veterinarians, adding that PRRS is No. 1 among pig diseases in terms of economic losses and focused on a systematic approach to controlling PRRS on pig farms, as well as on the diagnosis of this disease. The speaker added that it is necessary to determine the role of each pathogen and classify pathogens as primary or secondary.
In turn, Dmytro Masyuk, Doctor of Science, Professor, Director of the Research Center for Biosafety and Environmental Control of Agricultural Resources of the State Agrarian and Food University "Biosafety Center" shared the results of the study, which indicate a wide variety of PRRS strains on domestic pig farms. In total, 2752 blood serum samples were examined in 2023, of which 676 were seropositive and 73 farms, of which 18 circulate the PRRS virus. The speaker emphasized that these figures are almost 50% lower than in previous years.
The training of veterinary medicine specialists of pig farms is carried out within the framework of the project "Animal Health in Ukraine", which is implemented by the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders together with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program of the veterinary school consists of five modules, each of which contains four presentations on related topics. Teaching materials are prepared by leading domestic and foreign experts. Participants who pass the full course of training will receive certificates.
The Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders is a non-profit, voluntary organization founded by Ukrainian pork producers. The main purposes of the association are representation and protection of rights and interests of farms of the association, assistance in development and introduction of new technologies for efficient production of pork, expansion of sales markets, and protection of domestic sales market.
