Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Immune Status Monitoring and Disease Prevention

Monitoring immune status in pig herds through serology and health surveillance allows targeted disease prevention that improves welfare.

Key Facts

Herd serology for PRRS, Mycoplasma and App guides vaccination decisions
Monitoring sow immunity transfer to piglets identifies colostrum management failures
Regular health surveillance detects disease earlier when treatment is more effective
Herd health plans combining monitoring and prevention improve welfare outcomes
Targeted vaccination based on monitoring is more effective than routine blanket vaccination

Welfare Considerations

Disease prevention through informed monitoring and targeted vaccination protects pigs from preventable suffering. Herds that know their disease status can vaccinate appropriately, treat early, and avoid the substantial welfare burden of uncontrolled endemic disease. Investment in health monitoring pays welfare and financial dividends.

What You Can Do

Support herd health monitoring programmes for pig producers
Advocate for veterinary health planning requirements in pig welfare standards
Share resources on evidence-based vaccination planning with producers