Evaluation of rope method to acclimate replacement gilts with PRRS virus

摘要

One objective of a porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) control program is to acclimate replacement breeding gilts to produce immunity to farm specific PRRSV prior to entry in sow farms. Planned exposure of PRRSV has been routinely used and frequently accomplished by injection intramuscularly (IM) with viremic serum. The administration of an IM injection is laborious and stressful on the pig. Rope sampling is accepted as a viable method of detecting virus from oral fluids in swine while being less labor intensive and utilizes strong chewing behavior by the pig. The objective of this study was to determine if the use of a rope saturated with diluted serum could be used to provide oral exposure to acclimate replacement gilts with the farm specific PRRSV.