In recent years, the pig farming industry has faced increasing pressure from diseases, especially viral diseases. Among these, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) remains one of the biggest challenges for farms worldwide.
In the context of constantly evolving pathogens, the goal of modern farming is no longer simply "preventing pigs from getting sick," but rather building a herd that is more resilient to disease pressure while maintaining productivity.
PRRS is becoming more complex than ever before.
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) is a disease caused by an RNA virus belonging to the Arteriviridae family.
A distinctive feature of PRRS is its ability to undergo rapid genetic mutation, creating many different variants and strains circulating in the field.
Currently, in many countries with large pig farming industries, farms often face:
- The simultaneous circulation of multiple different PRRS strains.
- The emergence of new variants with altered virulence.
- Recombination between virus strains.
- Differences in protective efficacy between vaccine programs and field strains.
This makes controlling PRRS increasingly difficult and requires a more comprehensive management strategy than before.
Why is boosting immunity a crucial strategy in controlling PRRS?
PRRS virus has the ability to directly affect the immune system of pigs, especially alveolar macrophages – cells that serve as the first line of defense in the respiratory tract.
When the immune system is compromised, pigs are susceptible to:
Increased risk of secondary infections.
- Bacterial pneumonia.
- Complex respiratory disease in pigs.
- Increased rate of antibiotic treatment.
Decline in reproductive productivity
- Increased miscarriage rate.
- Increased infant mortality rate.
- Reduced number of children weaned.
Reduced growth efficiency
- Decrease ADG.
- Increase FCR.
- Extend the time to market.
In many cases, the economic damage caused by reduced productivity is greater than the damage caused by the direct mortality rate.
Disease Resilience is becoming a new trend.
Previously, the livestock industry focused on the concept of Disease Resistance.
Today, many experts are shifting towards the concept of Disease Resilience.
Disease Resistance
- The goal is to prevent pets from getting sick.
Disease Resilience
- Livestock can still maintain growth and productivity even when under disease pressure.
This is considered an appropriate approach in the context of PRRS and other viral diseases becoming increasingly diverse in terms of strains and virulence.
FACTORS DETERMINING THE RESISTANCE OF PIGS
Appropriate vaccination program
Vaccines remain the cornerstone tool in controlling PRRS, but their effectiveness depends on:
- Vaccine strain used.
- Actual circulating virus strain.
- Quality of vaccine administration.
- Immune status of the herd.
Immune nutrition
Some nutrients that play an important role include:
- Vitamins A, D3, E, and C.
- Organic selenium.
- Organic zinc.
- Nucleotide.
- Beta-glucan.
- Functional amino acids.
Stress management
Heat stress, transportation, high stocking densities, and environmental changes all increase cortisol levels and impair the immune system.
Biosafety
A good biosecurity system helps reduce the pressure of pathogens entering the farm and creates conditions for the herd's immunity to function more effectively.
Biosecurity procedures help improve disease resistance.
An effective biosecurity program should include:
- Control the entry and exit of people and vehicles at the farm.
- Manage herd introduction and quarantine.
- Perform regular disinfection and sanitization.
- Control disease-transmitting animals.
- Manage water and feed quality.
- Apply the All-in All-out principle.
- Conduct regular epidemiological and serological surveillance.
Boosting immunity is not a substitute for vaccination, but it helps vaccines work more effectively.
In the context of increasingly complex PRRS due to the circulation of various virus strains, enhancing immunity and resilience to the disease is becoming an indispensable part of modern herd management strategies.
The combination of:
- Appropriate vaccines
- Biosecurity
- Immunological nutrition
- Environmental management
- Stress reduction
This will help the pigs maintain better health and minimize economic losses caused by disease outbreaks.
PEMIX-S25: A SOLUTION TO BOOST IMMUNITY DURING MULTI-STRAIN PRRS.
Given the constant mutation of the PRRS virus and the prevalence of multiple strains in the field, the goal of modern livestock farming is not only to prevent infection but also to help pigs maintain their resilience and productivity even under pathogen pressure.
PEMIX-S25 is developed according to this philosophy through a combination of:
* A postbiotic mixture obtained from the metabolites of beneficial bacteria and culture media.
* Plant-derived phytogenic compounds.
* Berberine.
* Menthol.
This combination aims to support immunity, reduce the impact of inflammatory stress, and enhance the disease resistance of the pig herd.
1. Postbiotics help support immune regulation and increase resistance.
PEMIX-S25 contains a postbiotic blend derived from the metabolites of two beneficial bacterial strains:
* Lactobacillus rhamnosus
* Lactobacillus farciminis
Unlike live probiotics, postbiotics are not dependent on their survival during encapsulation, storage, or gastrointestinal pH conditions.
Studies show that postbiotics may help:
* Regulates the innate immune response.
* Supports the function of macrophages and antigen-presenting cells.
* Helps maintain the integrity of the gut barrier.
* Contributes to reducing excessive inflammatory responses that deplete energy.
This is especially important in PRRS, where the virus tends to cause prolonged immune disruption and increase the risk of secondary infections.
2. Berberine helps control inflammatory stress and oxidative stress.
Berberine is a plant-derived compound that has been extensively studied for its potential to support:
* Regulates inflammatory responses.
* Supports reduction of oxidative stress.
* Contributes to protecting immune cells from the stress of prolonged inflammation.
* Supports the maintenance of the intestinal barrier function.
In conditions like PRRS or complex respiratory syndrome, reducing energy expenditure on the inflammatory response can help the body prioritize nutrients for growth and reproduction.
3. Menthol supports respiratory health.
Menthol is a naturally occurring compound commonly used to support:
* Airway patency. * Breathing comfort in animals. * Adaptation to conditions of heat stress or high environmental pressure.
This is particularly important in cases of PRRS associated with secondary respiratory pathogens in complex respiratory syndrome in pigs.
4. PEMIX-S25 is suitable for the Disease Resilience strategy.
The concept of Disease Resilience is becoming a new trend in modern pig farming:
* It focuses not only on preventing infection.
* But also on helping animals maintain growth, reproduction, and production efficiency under disease pressure.
PEMIX-S25 is positioned as part of this strategy by supporting:
* Intestinal immunity.
* Regulating the immune response.
* Reducing inflammatory and oxidative stress.
* Supporting respiratory health.
* Maintaining nutrient utilization efficiency.
PEMIX-S25 is not a vaccine replacement but helps optimize PRRS control strategies.
In the current multi-strain PRRS environment, no single solution is sufficient to completely control the outbreak.
The most effective strategy remains a coordinated combination of:
* Vaccines appropriate to the epidemiological situation.
* Strict biosecurity measures.
* Optimal immune nutrition.
* Environmental management and stress reduction.
* Solutions to support resistance, such as PEMIX-S25.
This is the foundation of modern pig farming: not only reducing disease rates, but also maintaining productivity under increasing disease pressure.
