Utilising Tools to Evaluate Biosecurity Practices

MICHIGAN, US - The American Association of Swine Veterinarians and Iowa State University have launched a new tool to aid pork producers as they battle Porcine Reproductive Respiratory syndrome (PRRS).

25 August 2011

3 minute read

North America

The Production Animal Disease Risk Assessment programme (PADRAPS) was first developed in 2003 by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) for breeding herds and has evolved into risk assessment tools for breeding herds and growing pigs, along with benchmarking data that summarizes information about established geographical areas.

The PADRAP tool involves the study of causes, distribution, spread and control of diseases in production animal populations. The basis of the PADRAP system is a biosecurity questionnaire that is designed to evaluate biosecurity risks for a facility or production flow. The information gathered from the questionnaire is entered into a database, reviewed and summarized. Benchmarking data and reports are generated to allow producers the opportunity to compare the risk for their site, along with the risks for the geographical area.

Producers that participate in the PADRAP system utilize the information produced to help guide them in making production decisions and management adjustments. The PRRS Risk Assessment summary that producers receive from the programme allows them to:

Evaluate current biosecurity protocols for levels of risk. Aid in the development of new biosecurity procedures to eliminate areas of risk.
Allow for the annual comparison of biosecurity protocols for your system.
Support decisions made when exploring cleanup procedures for the stabilization and elimination of the PRRS virus.
Help make production flow adjustments to benefit from a high health production flow.

The PADRAP programme is currently managed by Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and coordinated by the American Association of Swine Veterinarians. These tools are available to pork producers in North America and should be utilized for a base biosecurity assessment for your facility or operation. For more information about the PADRAP tools and to obtain an assessment, please click here.