Battling PRRSv on the Frontlines

Pork producers are no strangers to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus (PRRSv). We have been battling the effects of different variants of PRRSv for years, with each strain bringing its own unique challenges. In late 2020, the variant PRRSv 1-4-4 1C began ravaging farrowing units, bringing with it record numbers of sows going off feed, aborting litters and high sow mortality. The losses continued into the nursery and finisher with extremely high mortality. Many farms take extensive measures to keep PRRSv out of their farms.

The first measure we take is executing our biosecurity plans to ensure only essential personnel enter the barn, managing pig and people movements through the facilities and enhance clean and dirty boundaries. Secondly, we can consider appropriate use of vaccination strategies. Thirdly, we can feed the sow to meet her nutritional requirements, including those of the immune system, getting her body equipped to deal with a challenge in a more robust way. Feeding the sow correctly can help lower death loss, abortions and loss of condition and get sows back on feed and to the road to recovery. By proactively feeding pigs for health focusing on all aspects of protein, energy, vitamin and mineral nutrition and using novel nutritional technologies, such as FURST PROTECT™ and FURST PROTECT DIRECT™ a source of essential fats and natural anti-oxidants that are important nutrients for the immune system, can have a significant impact on short- and long-term success in managing through any challenge situation. As an industry we need to continue to become more resilient, use every measure at hand and battle PRRSv on the frontlines.

FURST PROTECT™ is our feed technology and FURST PROTECT DIRECT™ is our water technology, the only product of it’s kind, that is an enhanced water soluble form of FURST PROTECT™.

furstprotect.com | swine@mcness.com | 815.801.2744
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