Researchers at Iowa State University have found that manure spreading on farm fields can increase the risk of hig farms being infected with Porcine DeltaCorona virus (PEDV) and/or Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory virus (PRRS).
They found plenty of PEDV in samples drawn from manure pits despite the absence of clinical symptoms of the virus in oral fluids.
The research, funded by the Swine Health Information Center Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program, in partnership with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research and Pork Checkoff, investigated the risks of manure spreading to introduction and spread of pathogens across wean-to-finish sites.
The odds of a PRRS or PEDV outbreak within four weeks after manure spreading are higher than farms not close to manure spreading.
A total of 2,903 pig lots were placed across 612 wean-to-finish sites. Of those, 1,444 pig lots had at least one manure spreading event with 517 reporting at least one PRRSV onset and 114 reporting at least one PEDV onset.
The odds of PRRSV onset within a four-week period following spreading manure increased 1.7 times as compared to lots that were not spread.
he PEDV positivity in manure was significantly higher than for PRRS.
