 News from the National Pork Board
Antimicrobial alternative review available
The booklet "Non-Antimicrobial
Production Enhancers: A Review" is now available from
the Pork Checkoff. The different classes of potential alternatives to
production-enhancing antimicrobials are reviewed. The mode
of action, antimicrobial effects, and animal performance data are discussed for
each class. In addition, Pork Checkoff-funded research on each of the classes is
summarized. This booklet was recently sent to AASV members in the United States.
To order additional copies, contact Nancy Newman at the National Pork Board
at 515-223-2621.
SWAP update
The Pork Checkoff continues to see the Swine Welfare Assurance
Program (SWAP) as the alternative to potential, costly
third-party audits. SWAP may serve as a valuable educational assessment for pork
producers, and veterinarians and educators play a
vital role in this.
Have you been trained as a Certified SWAP Educator? Contact the
National Pork Board for more information on SWAP: 515-223-2600
or www.porkboard.org.
Antibiotic use decision making
A series of focus groups were conducted on how producers and veterinarians choose
to use antibiotics, on behalf of the Pork Checkoff in several major
pork-producing states. The groups provided information
on their individual decision-making processes for use of antibiotics, the
information sources they use, and their perception
of the changing uses of antimicrobials. The focus-group information will be used
in part to develop materials for veterinarians and producers on antimicrobial use.
Influenza fact sheet available
The Pork Checkoff has available a fact sheet, titled
"Influenza: Pigs, People and Public
Health." This fact sheet summarizes potential public health consequences
of influenza for pork producers and their operations. An epidemiological
background on the virus is included, as well as
suggestions for producers to minimize risk of influenza on the farm. The fact sheet is
available at www.porkboard.org.
Moving ahead with PRRS for 2004
The National Pork Board has set aside $2,000,000 of Checkoff funds ($US)
for control and elimination of the PRRS virus. This initiative is focusing on research
and education for 2004, including a PRRS-specific web site. The National PRRS
Initiative, launched at the World Pork Expo in 2003, comprises 13 program elements.
Because PRRS costs US pork producers an estimated $600 million annually, the
Pork Checkoff continues to coordinate and research science-based answers for PRRS.
For more information on the National PRRS Initiative, go to
www.porkboard.org.
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