Biosecurity, Disease Control, and Elimination

This chapter describes the foundational goals of managing disease in swine herds as three objectives: (1) to prevent the introduction of pathogens into a herd, (2) to control the losses when pathogens are present in the herd, and (3) to eliminate the pathogen from the herd when possible. Classification systems of swine herds for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae are described. The widespread adoption of total confinement with pigs raised indoors has enabled the adoption of biosecurity practices to more effectively exclude and contain pathogens and consistently maintain herds free of certain pathogens. Strategies to eliminate pathogens from herds using both depopulation and without completely depopulating a herd are reviewed and described. A table describing the likelihood of elimination of pathogens by various strategies is included in the chapter.