News

Limited impact expected after pseudorabies found in Iowa, Texas swine

The pork industry is closely monitoring a recent detection of pseudorabies virus in some Iowa and Texas swine herds.

Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig says five boars at a central Iowa commercial site tested positive for the virus during routine testing. They were traced back to an outdoor facility out of Texas. But Naig says all other pigs tested negative.

“Given there was no spread within the facility, there’s a strong indication there was no spread outside of the facility,” the secretary said during a press call on Friday afternoon.

Naig says all pigs within the affected herds will be depopulated, per USDA protocols.

Iowa State Veterinarian Dr. Jeff Kaisand says pigs that are infected with pseudorabies virus are never fully cleared from the disease.

“When the pigs are exposed to pseudorabies virus, they go through a point where they are sick, they could be shedding virus, and they recover,” Kaisand said. “But the virus then will hang out in one of the cranial nerves of the brain and the tonsil.”

National Pork Producers Council board director Dr. Jay Miller, who also serves as CEO of The Maschhoffs, one of the largest family-owned pork production networks in North America, tells Brownfield that any impact to U.S. pork exports is expected to be minimal.

“We don’t think this will provide much of an impact to our export market,” Miller said. “Our export market is extremely important to the industry. Approximately one in three pigs have to leave the country for us with the supply we have here.”

Miller says there are no risks to human health, and all pork remains safe for consumption.

USDA says the detection is the first known case of pseudorabies in commercial swine since 2004.

Dr. Jay Miller: