Control of PRRS has proven to be difficult for several reasons, including the diversity of the strains circulating in the field as well as the lack of a complete understanding of the ways the virus enters and persists in the farm.
For the past 25 years, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health has been helping the swine industry worldwide combat PRRS. With PRRS vaccines, technical expertise, collaborative research and diagnostic advancements, we are working with veterinarians and producers to win the battles against this challenging disease.
In practical terms, control of PRRSV is now understood as a multi-sided task including biosecurity measures, diagnostic surveillance and immunization.
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) is a complex disease. MLV vaccines are the primary immunological tool for its control, but a systematic approach should be implemented in order to achieve sustainable results. Boehringer Ingelheim has developed a strong platform to consolidate PRRS control in pig farms, large production systems and even geographical areas.
This platform is a pig population approach having as main goals to maximize immunity, reduce PRRS virus (PRRSv) exposure and prevent new PRRSv infections. The foundation for this approach comes from the scientific method and continuous improvement philosophy known as Six Sigma, where processes get improved through the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) methodology.
The Complexity of PRRS has allowed implementing this methodology in the Swine Industry around the globe. PRRS control goes way beyond than just vaccination; it requires a full understanding of the disease and a set of tools to achieve a long term success, therefore a standardized 5 step process has been implemented to successfully achieve PRRS control.