Time and time again as veterinarians we are asked what our highest priority need is in swine health today.  The answer is simple and unfortunately has not changed for decades now.  PRRS, or Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus, continues to be the most detrimental and costly disease that swine producers face in the United States.  Studies have estimated the economic impact of this disease to be $664 million per year in the United States (Holtkamp et al., 2013).

PRRS has its origins back to the late 1980s and has dramatically influenced the way pigs are raised today.  Many of the origins of modern biosecurity practices have their roots in methods of controlling the spread of PRRS virus.  Veterinarians and researchers, such as our own Dr. Scott Dee, have dedicated a large amount of their careers to this specific disease and ways to reduce its devastating impact on swine farms and farmers.

At PIPESTONE, we focus research and control measures towards preventing viral entry and infection.  Through implementation of new strategies and technologies, we apply science to enhance measures aimed at preventing PRRS introduction.  With measures such as locating sows in biosecure areas, implementing critical access point procedures, using air filtration and feed mitigation, PIPESTONE has been successful at reducing the incidence of this disease.  We historically have measured this in terms of percentage of sow farms infected and are proud that last year we recorded our lowest PRRS infection rate ever.  What is the significance of this to our farmers?

Looking at the impact of last year’s PRRS reduction relative to 2021, Pipestone Management farms saved 278, 813 pigs and over $11 million for farmers!

Every team member at PIPESTONE shares tremendous pride and joy in this accomplishment, and looks forward to raising the bar even higher in the future.