Pork Producers Advised to Review Vaccine Protocols in Response to Increase in PCV2 Prevalence

The Swine Health Information Center is encouraging pork producers to review their vaccination protocols in response to an increase in Porcine circovirus type 2.

The Swine Health Information Center's May domestic swine disease monitoring report indicates the percent positive rate of Porcine circovirus type 2 in adult sow farms continued to increase in both April and March.SHIC Associate Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder says the positive rate for PCV2 in processing fluid samples was approximately 58 percent.

Clip-Dr. Megan Niederwerder-Swine Health Information Center:

One of the aspects of PCV2 that has been discussed with the advisory group and continues to be emphasised is the need for consistent vaccine protocols with regards to PCV2 and following the vaccine manufacturer's instructions with regards to handling the vaccine, the dose administered, the age of pig.

All of those aspects become very important when you see a disease that is well controlled by vaccination increase with regards to percent prevalence.One of the things that you can do is to start reviewing your vaccine protocols with your veterinarian, with the animal caretakers, with the vaccine crew that may be performing the vaccinations.

Think about the manufacturer, so what are the instructions, are we conducting these vaccine protocols as indicated, what's the volume that's been administered, what is the age range that these pigs are receiving the vaccine, what's the consistency as far as volume, number of pigs administered and also the timeline and really just doing a deep dive into your day to day operation with regards to PCV2 vaccination.

Dr. Niederwerder says the industry is fortunate to have vaccines that protect pigs from developing Porcine circovirus associated disease however the vaccine has to be administered in the manner in which it has been shown to be protective.