Controlling disease in swine herds is more than vaccinating or medicating your livestock … that’s the message attendees of the annual Boehringer Ingelheim (BIVI) Swine Health Seminar in San Diego received before the American Association of Swine Veterinarians annual meeting. During a session titled “Infection Chain – A New Perspective on Disease Management,” Dr. Edgar Diaz, associate director of swine for BIVI told the vets about the infection chain concept and its relationship to vertical transmission of pathogens.
“I think we over-focus on control of disease in piglets,” he said, adding that if a pig is sick in finishing, there was something wrong introduced into that herd in the first place. “[Long before that], we did something wrong with the introduction of the gilt to the reproductive herd… in the stabilization of the reproductive herd… in [trying] to short out the transmission of the disease between the sow and the piglet. Be more aware of all the infection chain and all of the process.”
Diaz suggested more focus on the vertical transmission of disease from the sow to the piglet.
Listen to Cindy’s interview with Dr. Diaz here: Interview with Dr. Edgar Diaz, BIVI