Health

  Completing the task of PRRS elimination sounds like a great New Year’s resolution. However, like most resolutions, that wish will not be fulfilled. But our objective should be to make progress toward improving control of this costly and menacing virus in finishing pigs....More

Several Midwestern states have been conducting porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) eradication projects....More

Rickets and osteomalacia (Table 1) are disease names associated with metabolic bone disease in growing and adult animals, respectively. The causes of metabolic bone diseases are usually related to deficiencies or imbalances in phosphorus, calcium and/or vitamin D deficiency. Calcium and phosphorus are essential nutrients that are tightly regulated in the blood because of critical metabolic roles they play. Both are needed for normal mineralization of bone matrix which provides for normal bone density and strength. Bone is the reservoir for calcium and phosphorus, and acts as a buffer to assure calcium and phosphorus are adequate in blood...More

Iowa State University (ISU) scientists have developed and launched the first official test to detect antibodies against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus in swine oral fluids....More

While porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a formidable and costly enemy to fight, extensive research funded by the Pork Checkoff is helping the pork industry gain ground in the battle against this tenacious virus...More