Mapping the Prevalence and Association of Key Pathogens of Pigs on Northern Ireland Pig Units

The pig industry is an important contributor to Northern Ireland (N.I.) agriculture representing ~6% of the gross output for the N.I. Agri-Food industry, however the industry faces significant challenges that impacts on its success including those associated with fluctuations in the costs of feed, and market value of products, heightened by the lack of subsidy for producers. Maintaining pig health is key to the success of the individual pig farmer and the sustainability of the local industry, but is threatened by the presence of pathogens (bacterial, viral and parasitic) that significantly impact animal vigor, condition, and productivity. The sustainability of pig farming in N.I. relies on optimising animal performance by ensuring that animals are maintained in peak health status and that feed is utilised to its maximum potential. This project aims to map the prevalence of key pathogens of pigs across production units in N.I. and correlate these data to on-farm management strategies to identify ‘best-practice’ for pathogen control. In addition, the project will also reveal associations between pathogens through collation of co-infection data, and determine the status of therapeutic resistance that will inform future control approaches.