Pig Health Project News
PHIP would like to wish all producers and vets a Happy and Prosperous 2012!
Take control of feed costs by tackling PRRS virus on your unit
Now that 2012 is underway, why not get yourself a cuppa, settle down and listen online to this snippet from the International Swine Conference on Feed Efficiency in Swine. Pick up the latest advice on how to control PRRSv to ensure your pigs are growing efficiently and costing you less! Click here to listen now
Linked up Online
Communication throughout the supply chain is essential to prevent the spread of swine dysentery. On Monday, Riki Jaeger from Garth Partnership in Yorkshire outlined how swine dysentery can enter a pig unit and what can be done to prevent it. It was during the second BPEX Live online workshop, which had 36 people logged on from across the supply chain – pig producers, vets, and several others representing the allied industry and an abattoir. BPEX discussed how hauliers and abattoirs can play their part, with an update on the cleaner lorries campaign. Click here to download the two presentations in full.
The best way to keep up-to-date with the status of any swine dysentery outbreak is to sign up to BPEX’s swine dysentery producer charter. The charter will provide producers with full details of outbreaks on other signed-up units in their area as soon as the confirmed reports are received. They will be updated via email, letter and text message.
Update on Swine Dysentery in Yorkshire (7th Dec 2011)
More than two dozen new members have joined the swine dysentery charter following the recent cases in North Yorkshire.
There are now six confirmed cases of SD but not all those cases are new, some are on units which have only just joined the charter and are pre-existing.
The best way to keep up-to-date with the status of any swine dysentery outbreak is to sign up to BPEX’s swine dysentery producer charter. The charter will provide full details of outbreaks on other signed-up units in a producer’s area as soon as the confirmed reports are received. Updates are sent via email, letter and text message. Sign up here. The increase in cases is a reminder to all pig producers about the importance of maintaining strict biosecurity measures.
B. Hyodysenteriae is the bacteria that causes swine dysentery and can live in manure and slurry for up to 60 days in cold weather, so make sure your herd is well defended by reviewing the following:
· Pig unit hygiene and cleaning and disinfection of people, vehicles and equipment
· Update internal and external biosecurity programmes specific to your farm and situation
· Herd security: know the status of pigs and vehicles coming on to your unit
· Vermin control – rats, birds, mice and insects
· Discuss medication options with your vet where necessary
For information about methods to prevent and control swine dysentery click here
'BPEX Live' goes live
Over 30 people logged in and joined the first 'BPEX live' an online webinar. Luke Minion of Pipestone Systems, USA returned to the UK this time via the internet. He presentes a seminar on how to 'set up your system for high health'. A number of the audience braved the new technology and asked questions generating an interesting discussion. Luke Presentation is avaiable online now
GVG Pig Fairs - South West farmers ready to tackle disease together
The majority of farmers attending the annual Geogre Vet Group Pig Fairs this October were in agreement that it was important to tackle a number of key pig diseases. Most were also willing to share infomation on the health of their herds with other farmers. Speakers covered a number of topics, including super flies, all based around the central theme of 'Beat the Bugs'.
International speakers at the 2TS Focus on Health discuss regional apporached to disease control
Luke Minion (USA) and Anders Elvstroem (Denmark) discribe two approaches to PRRS eradication in their respective countries. Both agreed that knowledge of the health status of all herds in the area was essential to the sucess of PRRS erradication. The approach to collection and storage differed greatly between the two countries. For more details or to download talks click here
9th November 2011
Producers in the Eastern Pig Health region are able to access diagnostic testing support - click here for more information
Free BPHS is here!
All assured producers in England can now register for the National Pig Health Improvement Project (PHIP) and receive free BPEX Pig Health Scheme (BPHS) reports as an added perk. BPHS provides members with detailed carcass health data, collected by specialist vets when they submit their pigs to participating abattoirs. BPEX regional health co-ordinator Helen Clarke said: “The health report sent back to producers gives them a picture of their overall herd health which they can then discuss with their vet and tackle any issues promptly.
“It includes sub-clinical disease which is not always easy to spot on farm, but still affects performance. That’s why we want to make it easy for producers to become members of BPHS and to use it to inform what they do on farm as part of the BPEX Pig Health Improvement Project (PHIP).
The national health programme will build on the foundations laid by Yorkshire Humberside Health, Eastern Pig Health (EPH) and East Midlands Pig Health (EMPH), resulting in all schemes eventually becoming one. All assured producers in England will shortly receive a mailing telling them how to join both schemes.
To find out more about BPHS click here
May 2011
East Midlands Pig Health
The BPEX health team are pleased to announce the launch of East Midlands Pig Health (EMPH) which unsurprisingly will run in the East Midlands region!
The scheme will follow in the successful footsteps of Eastern Pig Health (EPH) and Yorkshire and Humberside Health (YHH) which have been running over the last year.
The scheme gives centrally located pig keepers the chance to improve the health of their pigs and their working relationships with the wider industry through a variety of training sessions all related to making pigs profitable through better biosecurity and pig health. The scheme is being funded by the Rural Development Programme for England and BPEX. For more information on any of the health schemes please contact Helen Clarke on 07973 701 369, or email helen.clarke@bpex.org.uk.
April 2011
Eastern Pig Health You can access the website at www.easternpighealth.org.uk or go to the home page and click on the blue section of the map. Producers in the region are being asked to sign up online or by contacting Helen Clarke helen.clarke@bpex.ahdb.org.uk or telephone 07973 701 369
Yorkshire Humberside Health is awaiting the commencement of Stage 2 of the project, and is currently working with Yorkshire Forward to plan for the coming months. Producers are still invited to form clusters and to address their on farm biosecurity. Please contact Helen Clarke, helen.clarke@bpex.org.uk, 07973701369 for help and information
Archive News
Pig and Poultry Fair, 11th and 12th May 2010
The BPEX Regional Health Team were present on the BPEX stand on both days answering queries about the health schemes running in your area. Many thanks to those of you that came to see us. The forum also ran on both days, which gave show-goers the chance to find out more about the Yorkshire and Humberside Health schemes progress, and how to join up to Eastern Pig Health.
The speakers were:
Richard Lister (Producer and Steering Group member)
Nigel Woolfenden (vet in the region)
Angela Booth (ABN)
The presentations from Pig Fair are available on the YHH website - click here to see them
Helpful links
The link called "Biosecurity for Smallholders" will take you to a leaflet which has been designed to remind smallholders of their responsibilities regarding biosecure practice.
Please click on "Biosecurity Questionnaire" to download a printable version of the tool which will help you identify your units strengths and weaknesses and help you to improve your biosecurity.