Application of an economic calculator to determine the cost of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome at farm-level in 21 pig herds in Germany

Abstract

Background Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) continues to be a major economic issue for the swine industry worldwide, not only due to acute outbreaks but also endemic infections. PRRS disease severity and consequently financial losses can vary greatly between endemically infected farms and estimation of damage is challenging. This study aimed to assess the economic effect of PRRS in a systematic way at individual farm-level for endemically infected herds, using a PRRS cost simulation tool. In total 21 German sow herds with endemic PRRSV infection were investigated. Data on health and production performance, farm management and environment to be fed into the calculator was collected on each farm, and blood samples taken to confirm the PRRSV status. Results All study farms experienced a significant loss attributable to PRRS. The median farm budget across all farms was − 31 € per sow and year, compared to a median simulated farm budget of 248 € if these farms had been PRRSV negative. The median total loss attributable to PRRS was 74,181 € per farm per year, corresponding to a median total loss per sow and year of 255 €. The impact of PRRS on farm profits was − 19.1% on average and − 41% in the worst case. Conclusions The calculated losses give a good hint of the economic damage due to PRRS for the pig industry. Even in endemically infected farms, farmers face a non-negligible damage and profit from a concerted PRRS control. The calculator has proven itself in the field to render a valid estimation of losses due to PRRS in endemically infected farms.

Efficacy of the Synergy Between Live-Attenuated and Inactivated PRRSV Vaccines Against a NADC30-Like Strain of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus in 4-Week Piglets

“…Moreover, PRRS also causes other losses (e.g., feed intake, additional medication expenses, and labor costs) to the whole swine industry (16). An economic calculator found that the impact of PRRS on farm profits was −19.1% on average and −41% as a worst case (17). One study employed an epidemiological and economic disease model to determine the costs of PRRSV on pig farms, and found that the losses were not often obvious, ranging from $87,499 to $751,179 annually for individual farrow-to-finish farms (1,000 sows) depending on the degree to which the herd was affected by PRRS (18).…”

Heterologous Challenge with PRRSV-1 MLV in Pregnant Vaccinated Gilts: Potential Risk on Health and Immunity of Piglets

“…Recent estimates from Europe and North America show that the reproductive performance of infected herds is decreased by approximately 1.4 weaner pigs/sow. To these figures the costs arising from the effects of an endemic infection on mortality and morbidity, daily weight gain, feed efficiency, and treatment costs should be added [ 12 ].…”

First Study to Describe the Prevalence of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus and Porcine Circovirus Type 2 among the Farmed Pig Population in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

“…PRRSV and PCV2 both cause respiratory disease and reproductive losses, while PCV2 also causes PCV2 systemic disease [14]. The potential economic consequences of these pathogens are substantial and documented in a number of pig-producing countries, including Germany [2,15], the United States [12,16], the United Kingdom [17] and Vietnam [18]. Estimation of prevalence of these viral pathogens typically relies on the use of either serological tests to detect antibodies (e.g., enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, ELISA) or molecular methods that detect the virus (e.g., polymerase chain reaction, PCR) [11,14].…”