October 7, 2020

Boehringer Ingelheim awards winners of the 2020 European PRRS research

Boehringer Ingelheim has honoured three winning research proposals with a funding of 25,000 euro (~US$29,400; 1 euro = US1.18) each as part of the European PRRS Awards to encourage further development of practical methods for controlling PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome), and to recognise scientific excellence in the field.

Furthermore, the company provides opportunities for interaction and academic exchange among swine researchers and veterinary practitioners. The winners were selected by an independent expert panel.

PRRS continues to be a highly prevalent disease in European pigs, causing economic losses through its negative effects on reproduction and growth as well as by clinical illness.

The European PRRS Research Award review board is chaired by Enric Mateu (Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona) with members from across swine practice and academia: Helle Jessen (Danvet), Andrea Ladinig (Vetmeduni Vienna), Giovanbattista Danilo Guadagnini (Gruppo Veronesi), Gyula Balka (Veterinary Medicine Budapest) ), Michele Drigo (University of Padova), and Torsten Pabst (Tierarztpraxis Dr. Pabst).

2020 marks the seventh time the company has sponsored the annual European PRRS Research Award. The winners of this year's award are: Biosecurity and management impact on PRRS status and economical profit: statistical process control after evaluation and improvement (Ramis Vidal, Universidad de Murcia - Spain); PRRSV1 genetic recombination in swine herds: an emerging risk or hype (Erhard van d. Vries, Royal GD - The Netherlands); Impact of weaning procedures on PRRSV in the nursery (Pia R. Heiselberg, HyoVet - Denmark).

The prizes will be awarded to the winners at the fifth European PRRSpective taking place in Bern, Switzerland, in 2021.