industry-wide assessment of bioexclusion and biosecurity practices across U.S. swine farms. Conducted by Iowa State University and funded through SHIC’s Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program—with support from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and Pork Checkoff—the study collected detailed survey data from 21 herd veterinarians across 13 states, representing over 3,600 nursery, wean-to-finish, and finisher sites.
Dr. Lisa Becton, SHIC Associate Director, says the research was designed to support the development of a rapid-risk assessment tool that producers can use to evaluate and improve their on-farm biosecurity.
“The survey really honed in on the specifics of practices to create that baseline,” said Dr. Becton. “It included questions on bioexclusion, on-site characteristics, vehicle and people movements, manure removal, water usage, sanitation, and mortality management.”
Key findings include:
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93% of respondents reported using all-in/all-out production practices.
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65%+ use offsite mortality disposal methods.
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Nearly 50% of individuals surveyed visit multiple sites daily—a concern for pathogen transmission.
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87% use well water, but only 64% of those treat it.
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100% of weaned pig trailers were washed between loads, while only 78.3% of market pig trailers were washed, and just 52% were disinfected between loads.
The inconsistencies between production stages and practices point to opportunities for risk reduction, especially around transportation and water treatment.
The resulting biosecurity assessment tool aims to help pork producers quickly identify vulnerabilities and implement changes to strengthen disease prevention measures.
More information on the study and tools developed can be found at swinehealth.org.
