The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) funded a pilot study to determine if a fluorescent powder could be used to study the transfer of contamination from livestock trailers to barns during marketing events. Conducted by staff from Iowa State University (ISU) in collaboration with Iowa Select Farms, the study addresses concerns that livestock trailers are frequently contaminated with PRRSV, PEDV, and other pathogens at swine slaughter plants in the US.

In an effort to examine the role of ingredients, especially vitamins, in feed biosecurity, the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) and the University of Minnesota organized a vitamin manufacturing sector-wide workshop. Representatives from pork industry organizations including National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council, American Association of Swine Veterinarians, vitamin manufacturers and blenders, and feed industry associations joined SHIC and the University of Minnesota for the workshop in late April in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Preliminary results from research sponsored by the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) shows statistically significant correlation between PCV3 and the clinical sign of fetal death as well as histological lesions of myocarditis, vasculitis of the heart, and vasculitis of the spleen. A newly developed and validated mqPCR assay enables performance of rapid, sensitive, and specific detection and differentiation of PCV3 and PCV2 strains with high strain coverage in clinical samples.