July 13, 2007

Blue ear disease hits Swedish pigs

Veterinary officials of the National Board of Agriculture in Sweden have reported outbreaks of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) or blue ear disease wherein 3,000 pigs were destroyed in two pig farms in the southern province of Skane.

The first outbreak of this serious disease was reported in early June and Swedish authorities are still at lost on the farm contamination as the pigs did not show any signs of the disease.

Peter Wallgren at the Swedish National Veterinary Institute said another outbreak occurred 100 kilometres from the first contaminated farm and veterinary officials will depend on their investigation on the source of the outbreak.

Wallgren worries that PRRS may have already spread to more farms in Sweden if all their tests would prove positive for the disease. Test results are expected later this week.