Importance of PADRAP in a porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome and porcine epidemic diarrhea regional control program in Colombia

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) are two costly diseases affecting the swine industry. Veterinarians have developed strategies to control and eliminate these diseases, however, the risk of re-infection remains high as proven by the recent epidemic of PED in America. A PRRS and PED regional control program was established in the central northwestern part of Colombia. As part of this project, production animal disease risk assessment program (PADRAP) was used to identify risk factors, current management and biosecurity practices.

Seventeen farms, from the same pork association, i.e. they used the same health production, and feed services responded to the PADRAP survey. PADRAP “is an epidemiologically-based initiative to help manage disease in the swine industry. It offers risk assessment surveys and reports for measuring and benchmarking disease risks”.

Internal and external risk scores were, 16.92 (range: 12.52-22.8), and 26.63 (range 18.89-35.35), respectively. Scores were compared to the national Colombian internal and external risk mean, 19.02 (range 11.56-34.27) and 35.38 (range 18.57-56.54), respectively. Individual farm reports were analyzed, and a global priority action report to reduce disease transmission was completed. The main internal risks were: farrow to finish production, and short gilt acclimation period. Main external risks were: swine density, proximity to other farms, various genetic sources, unknown semen disease status, little or no sampling of replacement and biosecurity audits, as well as transport, i.e. no standardized vehicle sanitation and driver’s biosecurity protocol.

The results of this group exercise was presented in a meeting with the majority of the responders present. Positive conclusions showed that having the same service network and standardized management, health and feeding practices reduced internal and external risk as compared to the Colombian mean. The resulting analysis also offered key external risk improvements associated to a detailed map encompassing farm location, disease status, as well as related epidemiological factors. The fact that this analysis was presented conjunctly to the group, allowed a better understanding of the swine production in this area, awareness of unknown risks, communication, education, decision making and collective commitment. Strategies such as adequate replacement acclimation, boar sampling, transport and biosecurity training sessions will be implemented; the area will re-evaluated six to eight months after implementation of these proposals.

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared.