Source: Feedstuffs
A North Carolina State University study tested a new truck rerouting system to reduce disease transmission between pig farms. Traditionally, trucks transporting feed and livestock follow fixed weekly schedules, but researchers modeled alternative routing based on farm infection status, vehicle use, and cleaning records. Using data from 1,609 swine farms and GPS tracking, the model created a scoring system ranking trucks by contamination risk.
Vehicles serving infected farms were rerouted to avoid contact with uninfected ones, and cleaning and disinfection (C&D) opportunities were maximized. Even assuming limited effectiveness of C&D, the model reduced risky contacts between farms by 42%, potentially curbing costly diseases like porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and PRRSV. While rerouting increases travel distance, costs, and wear on trucks, the approach could significantly improve biosecurity. Researchers plan to further evaluate costs and real-world C&D effectiveness, highlighting the strategy’s potential to bolster disease prevention across swine production systems.
Read the full story HERE: https://www.feedstuffs.com/swine/model-reroutes-livestock-trucks-to-reduce-risk-of-infection