PRRS is one of the most economically and welfare-significant diseases in global pig production, causing reproductive failure, respiratory disease, and significant mortality in affected herds.
PRRS causes acute and severe welfare harm across multiple dimensions: late-term abortions, weak and stillborn piglets, and respiratory disease causing distress and pneumonia in growing pigs. The immunosuppressive effect of PRRS makes affected pigs vulnerable to concurrent bacterial infections that compound welfare harm. Outbreaks in naive herds cause crisis-level welfare harm affecting entire cohorts of animals simultaneously. Achieving and maintaining PRRS-free status through strict biosecurity represents one of the most significant welfare improvements available to pig producers, as it eliminates a persistent and severe disease burden from the affected animals.