The department has specific rulemaking authority on reporting animal diseases under s. 95.22 (2) and certificates of veterinary inspection under s. 95.45 (4) (c), Stats. The department makes and enforces these rules, through its division of animal health (“division”). Related Statutes and Rules
None.
Plain Language Analysis
The proposed rule establishes testing requirements for commercial swine imported into or moving within Wisconsin in order to control the spread of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv), as follows:
Swine imported to Wisconsin
Current rule requires, with some exceptions, that swine imported to Wisconsin be accompanied by a valid certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI). Sometimes an import permit is also required. One of those exceptions includes commercial swine imported directly to a federally approved livestock marketing facility. The proposed rule no longer allows for that particular exception from getting a CVI or import permit unless all the swine on the market premises the day of the sale are shipped directly to slaughter.
Current rule requires CVIs to include a statement disclosing the PRRS and PEDv status of an imported swine’s herd of origin, if known. The proposed rule replaces the statement with the following requirements:
• For breeding swine, both of the following:
1. A report of a negative PRRS and PED test from the swine’s herd of origin conducted within 90 days prior to movement into Wisconsin.
2. A statement from the veterinarian that there are no clinical signs of PRRS and PEDv at the time of inspection.
• For commercial swine purchased or obtained from a commingled auction, sale, or exhibition, all of the following:
1. A report of a negative PRRS and PEDv test from the swine’s herd of origin conducted within 90 days prior to movement into Wisconsin.
2. A statement from the event’s veterinarian that all the swine commingled at the auction, sale, or exhibition had a negative PRRS and PEDv test from their respective herds of origin conducted within 90 days prior to movement to the auction, sale, or exhibition.
3. A statement from the event’s veterinarian that there are no clinical signs of the PRRS and PEDv at the time of inspection.
• For commercial swine imported directly to a federally approved livestock marketing facility for purposes other than slaughter, all of the following:
1. A report of a negative PRRS and PEDv test from the swine’s herd of origin conducted within 90 days prior to movement into Wisconsin.
2. A statement from the marketing facility’s veterinarian that there are no clinical signs of the PRRS and PEDv at the time of inspection.
• For all other commercial swine, a statement from the veterinarian stating that the PRRS and PEDv status of the herd of origin is negative.
Except for commercial swine imported to an approved livestock marketing facility for purposes other than slaughter, commercial and breeder swine that do not meet the above requirements may be transported to Wisconsin if the person importing them obtains an import permit from the department. The department will quarantine the swine upon arrival until a herd plan is approved by the department. An approved livestock marketing facility may not accept swine that do not meet the disease testing requirements.
The above PRRS and PEDv import requirements do not apply to:
• Swine imported directly to a slaughtering establishment for slaughter.
• Commercial swine imported directly to a veterinary facility for treatment, provided that the swine is returned to its state of origin immediately following treatment and there is no change of ownership.
• Commercial swine returning directly to its place of origin in this state following treatment in a veterinary facility outside this state, provided that the swine was shipped directly to the veterinary facility and there was no change of ownership.
Swine moving in Wisconsin
The proposed rule establishes new requirements for moving commercial swine within the state.
No person may move commercial swine intrastate unless the herd of origin has tested negative on a PRRS and PEDv test conducted not more than 90 days prior to movement and documentation of the negative test reports are made available to the department upon request.
If the swine’s herd of origin tests positive for PRRS or PEDv, the department will quarantine the herd of origin until a herd plan is developed and approved.
If commercial exhibition swine originate from Wisconsin and return to Wisconsin after an exhibition in another state, the exhibitor must notify the department of the movement. The department will quarantine the swine, herd of origin, or both until a herd plan is developed and approved. This provision is not applicable if all the swine at the exhibition are from negative herds.
These new intrastate movement requirements do not apply to either of the following:
• Swine moved directly to a slaughtering establishment for slaughter.
• Swine moved to one fair or exhibition prior to being shipped directly to slaughter.
Herd plans
The goal of the herd plan is to bring the herd to negative PRRS and PEDv status and limit the spread of the disease. The herd plan must:
• Be written by a Wisconsin certified, accredited, licensed veterinarian on behalf of the importer.
• Establish testing protocols relating to PRRS and PEDv, as appropriate.
• Establish notification requirements of at risk farms.
• Establish biosecurity requirements.
• Be broken down into separate production categories that need to be managed.
• Be approved by the department.
The department will provide sample herd plans to assist veterinarians in herd plan development.
PRRS and PEDv testing
Tests to determine whether PRRS or PEDv is in the herd of origin must be approved by the department and provide 90% confidence that the disease would be identified if present at 30% prevalence in the herd. This means for herds with less than 30 swine, one pooled sample of at least five swine, or swine available if less than five, must be collected and tested. For herds with 30 or more swine, three pooled samples of at least five swine must be collected and tested.
Summary of, and comparison with, existing or proposed federal statutes and regulations
Current federal regulations require reporting of swine enteric corona diseases including PED.
Comparison with Rules in Adjacent states
Similar to other Midwestern states, Wisconsin has established programs for historically important diseases, such as tuberculosis, brucellosis and chronic wasting disease. Wisconsin would be the first to establish testing requirements for PRRS and PEDv when moving swine in order to prevent and control these diseases. Surrounding states have no PRRS or PEDv testing requirements in place for moving swine.
PRRS and PEDv have proven to be costly, highly contagious diseases among pigs and can result in tremendous production losses for swine producers.
Summary of Factual Data and Analytical Methodologies
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a virus that is also known as blue-ear pig disease. This economically important, panzootic disease causes reproductive failure in breeding stock and respiratory tract illness in young pigs. Clinical signs include dramatic reproductive losses, increased pneumonia, and reduced pig growth.
An “Assessment of the Economic Impact of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus on United States Pork Producers,”created by the Iowa State University and published in the Journal of Swine Health and Production, in 2013, compiled data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a survey of swine veterinarians on the incidence and impact of PRRS, and production records from commercial farms with known PRRS status. Animal-level economic impact of productivity losses and other costs attributed to PRRS were estimated using an enterprise budgeting approach and extrapolated to the national level on the basis of the US breeding herd inventory, number of pigs marketed, and number of pigs imported for growing. The total cost of productivity losses due to PRRS in the US national breeding and growing-pig herd was estimated at $664 million annually, an increase from the $560 million annual cost estimated in 2005.
According to a February 16, 2016, article from the Scientific American,
“One of the worst things that can happen to a pig farmer is a pen infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). It emerged in the 1980s, and the syndrome now afflicts these hoofed animals worldwide, causing illness, death and miscarriage. In fact, it has been designated the most economically significant disease for swine, costing livestock producers in North America $600 million annually from deaths and medical treatments. Vaccinations have mostly failed to prevent the syndrome's spread.”
Similar to PRRS, the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv) has a substantial economic burden given that it is highly infectious, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality in piglets.
PEDv is a coronavirus that affects swine, causing diarrhea and vomiting, and death of 50-100 percent of infected piglets. Adult pigs can become infected and lose weight after being infected but generally do not have mortality. PEDv has persisted and spread, and now has been detected in 36 states. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has deemed PEDv a reportable disease.
Wisconsin’s swine production ranks 19th in the nation, supports more than 5,000 jobs and produces more than $136 million in annual income. Given these factors, it is important that these diseases are controlled as they can seriously affect the state’s hog production industry.
