Economic impacts of reduced pork production associated with the diagnosis of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae on grower/finisher swine operations in the United States.

An examination of the economic impacts of the diagnosis of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae on grower/finisher swine operations indicated that reduced pork production, associated with the diagnosis of A. pleuropneumoniae on the operation, diminished consumer surplus by $53+/-52 million, and resulted in a total loss of $32+/-30 million to the US economy in 1995. Most of the economic surplus lost by consumers was transferred to producers, whose economic surplus increased by $21+/-25 million (which was not significantly different from zero). Uncertainty analysis showed that an estimate of the decline in production associated with the diagnosis of A. pleuropneumoniae accounted for most of the uncertainty of the change in consumer surplus and of the total loss to the economy. The estimate of the price elasticity of demand for pork also contributed towards a lot of the uncertainty in the estimated change in producer surplus.

[The importance of different pig diseases in the Netherlands]. / Het belang van de verschillende varkensziekten in Nederland.

As part of the project 'Clean pigs', IPG Institute for Pig Genetics BV made an inventory of the impact of different diseases on the Dutch pig industry. An expert panel assessed the importance of the different diseases with regard to public health, farm economy, the pig sector and export sales. The possibilities for the diagnosis of the different pathogens were listed and the goal for the next years, was set. Diseases were classified into three categories, according to their importance for the Dutch pig industry (Table 2). The diseases that can be eradicated are Salmonella (only specific strains), Pasteurella multocida DNT + PAR), Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Haematopinus suis (lice) and Sarcoptes scabei (var. suis) (mange). National introduction of list A en most list B diseases of the OIE classification must be prevented.

Effect of subclinical infection with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in commingled feeder swine.

Sequential serologic analysis for Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae was done on 240 commingled feeder swine at 1 and 21 days after purchase and at slaughter. At the beginning of the experiment, mean weight of the pigs was 18.6 kg, and the pigs were maintained to a mean slaughter weight of 109.95 kg. A fourfold increase in antibody titer against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae was demonstrated in 28 (12%) pigs. Mean adjusted rate of gain for infected pigs was 0.74 +/- 0.10 kg/d and 0.77 +/- 0.09 kg/d for uninfected pigs. Differences in feed efficiency were not detected between infected and uninfected pigs. Our findings suggested that 5.64 additional days are required for pigs with subclinical infection to reach market weight of 113.6 kg, compared with that for uninfected herdmates. A vaccination program to prevent subclinical infection may not be cost effective.

Socioeconomic significance of the HAP group.

An overview is presented of some members of the HAP group important in animal disease. An attempt has been made to highlight the economic importance of these diseases and to alert us to the importance of research that will lead to their prevention and control.