Hogs ask why Washington wasn’t tested first
MADISON, Wisconsin (Farm.FM) — Three American states are taking part in a coordinated effort to eliminate a serious pig disease, prompting hog producers to ask whether the same scientific methods might eventually be applied to Washington.
Wisconsin, Nebraska and Kentucky are testing strategies against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, known as PEDV, as RFD-TV reported. The virus can cause devastating losses among young piglets, which makes disease prevention an urgent priority for swine producers.
Veterinarians are treating the challenge seriously. The hogs, meanwhile, have voiced concern that the federal government may eventually get involved.
“We’ve survived disease outbreaks, collapsing markets and feed bills,” said Nebraska pork producer Leonard Haskins. “But if Washington gets involved, the pigs will need individual identification cards and quarterly performance reviews.”
The Five-Phase PEDV Elimination Plan for Swine Herds
The National Pork Board is working with veterinary organizations and producers on a five-phase elimination framework. It starts with better disease certification and lower infection rates in finishing herds. Later phases bring in regional cooperation, statewide coordination and national collaboration.
Farmers recognized the structure right away. “It sounds like the process my wife uses to get me to clean the garage,” Haskins said. “First she identifies the problem, then she expands the investigation, then she calls in the whole family.”
Veterinarians stress that eliminating PEDV takes surveillance, cooperation and careful control of animal movements, the kind of biosecurity practices the American Association of Swine Veterinarians promotes. Hog producers already understand biosecurity. They spend a lot of effort keeping pathogens away from animals that consider rolling in mud a luxury vacation. The hard part is getting everybody who walks into the facility to take disease prevention as seriously as the vet does.
Pigs Demand Better Working Conditions
News of the health initiative reportedly spread fast through American hog barns. Several pigs asked for more sanitation stations. Others wanted better ventilation, cleaner transportation and a workplace where lunch doesn’t eventually turn out to be themselves.
One boar reportedly requested a private office. His application was denied after management learned he planned to spend eight hours a day sleeping in it.
Pork producers say the industry’s animal-health investments protect both animal welfare and the economic survival of family operations. A disease outbreak can wipe out months of work. No government program can replace a healthy litter by issuing a press release.
Inside the Barn: Memos, Transcripts and Veterinary Opinion
The Memo Posted by the Feed Room
A memo taped inside a Nebraska hog barn and passed along by a worker reads, in full: “Boots dip. Every time. Yes, you too, Gary. The pigs have seen you skip it and they’ve started talking.” Haskins confirmed Gary has since been seen dipping with great enthusiasm.
The Conference Call Transcript
A transcript of a producers’ conference call shows the first eleven minutes were spent on the phrase “Can everyone hear me?” It was asked 14 times. At minute twelve a participant said “I’m not on mute, I just don’t have anything to say,” and the call proceeded to the five phases of PEDV elimination, each of which was agreed to in under a minute.
The Veterinarian’s View
“The science here is simple. The people part is where it gets hard,” said Dr. Alma Reyes, a swine veterinarian who consults for producers across the Midwest. “I can write a protocol for the pigs. Nobody has ever written one that gets the delivery driver to stay in the truck.”
Washington May Be the Next Outbreak
The announcement has also inspired calls for a coordinated effort against political dysfunction. Farmers note that Washington shows several symptoms familiar to animal-health professionals. Recurring outbreaks. Rapid transmission of bad ideas. Constant noise. A tendency for infected individuals to gather in large groups.
Sadly, no veterinarian has found an effective vaccine against congressional stupidity. Some agricultural economists suggested isolating infected lawmakers from the general population. Congress immediately objected, claiming such a measure would violate its constitutional right to spend other people’s money.
Healthy Hogs Are Good Business
Unlike political disease-control proposals, the actual PEDV initiative has measurable goals. Researchers will look at disease prevalence, identify useful prevention practices and figure out what producers need to improve herd health. The results could help other states adopt effective strategies.
Haskins says he’s grateful veterinarians are developing methods that might reduce losses without swapping practical farm knowledge for political slogans. “Give me healthy pigs, a fair market and a truck that starts,” he said. “As for Washington, I don’t expect a cure in my lifetime.”
The pigs appear to agree. They’ve already been through enough outbreaks without electing one.
Five Humorous Observations
- A pig asked for a private office. Denied, because he’d sleep in it. That’s not a pig, that’s a middle manager. And honestly he deserved the office. He was just honest about what he’d do with it.
- They said the five phases work like cleaning the garage. Identify the problem, expand the investigation, call in the whole family. My garage has been in phase one since the Bush administration.
- Fourteen “can everyone hear me” in eleven minutes. We beat a global pandemic with science and we still can’t beat that sentence. It’s the new national anthem.
- They’ve got a vaccine for pigs but no vaccine for Congress. Which sounds wrong, because the pigs are just rolling in mud, and Congress is rolling in other people’s money. Only one of those is doing the sensible thing.
- Boots dip, every time, “yes you too Gary.” I love that. Every workplace has a Gary. Every workplace. And if you don’t know who Gary is at your job, hey buddy, it’s you.