2005 Marks Historical Changes in Swine Disease Control
If the one constant in swine production is change, then the industry has certainly experienced its share over the past 25 years. This change, driven by consolidation and a revolving door of diseases and other production challenges, has been no stranger to most hog producers.
Historically, collaborations and partnerships among commercial companies, universities, the federal government, producer organizations and veterinary practitioners have played important roles in the research and development of production tools. To that end of helping producers solve current and future swine health problems, these relationships will be even more critical.
While the names and numbers of swine health companies have changed over the years, the innovations they have brought to the market, as well as their impact, remain. Largely through cooperative efforts, many of the major swine diseases of the past have either been eradicated or effectively controlled. Within this group are several especially costly virus-induced diseases such as hog cholera, porcine parvovirus-induced reproductive failure and pseudorabies. It is likely that porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRS), which was first recognized clinically in the United States in 1987, will eventually be controlled, and perhaps eradicated, as a result of similar cooperative efforts.
William Mengeling, Ph.D., Collaborative Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University and former Research Leader of the Virus and Prion Diseases of Livestock Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, says changes in the way hogs are raised today (increased herd size, high concentration, intensive management, etc.) have had a significant and direct impact on disease incidence and severity. Moreover, Mengeling believes that PRRS presents the biggest challenge of the modern era of swine production.
Even with adjustments for inflation, the financial impact of PRRS relative to some of the major swine diseases of the past is appreciable. To help producers combat PRRS as well as other diseases that currently plague the swine industry, Mengeling says we must continue to encourage full cooperation between public and private sectors whenever such efforts are clearly in the best interest of the industry.
“The swine industry has generally benefited from the close working relationships among organizations and individuals with different strengths, but a common goal,” says Mengeling, who has worked in the research of viral diseases since the early 1960s. “This has resulted in the more rapid collaborative discovery and development of efficacious vaccines that have served to control and prevent many of the myriad of diseases that affect swine.”
One swine health company that has played a key role in the development of effective vaccines and other swine health products has been Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., (BIVI), the St. Joseph, Mo.-based animal health subsidiary of one of the world's largest chemical and pharmaceutical companies. In fact, this year marks the anniversaries of several developments and acquisitions within the swine industry in which BIVI played a role.
Early Solutions to Diseases
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., traces its U.S. roots back to the early 1900s when hog cholera was the devastating disease of the day for hog producers. To help combat this disease, vaccines were produced by pioneering companies and sold to other hog producers, who would in turn provide the vaccine to their neighbors. One of these early vaccine pioneers was W. True Davis, Sr., son of a rural Missouri hog farmer, who along with a friend founded Anchor Serum Company in 1916.
In the 1950s, Anchor established biological and pharmaceutical research facilities near St. Joseph, Mo. The company developed and marketed a variety of swine products until 1960 when it was acquired by North American Philips Corporation and renamed Philips Roxane, Inc. Products were sold by the Anchor and Bio-Ceutic divisions to producers, veterinarians and animal health distributors.
In 1981 Philips Roxane became part of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation of Ridgefield, Conn., establishing the Germany-based company's presence in the United States' animal health business.
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, which would become Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., in 1998, is part of a family-owned pharmaceutical and chemicals company that was founded in 1885 in Ingelheim, Germany. Developments in tartaric salts, organic acids and other chemicals used for dyes and pharmaceutical products paved the way for Boehringer Ingelheim's expansion into the human health arena in Europe in the 1940s and '50s, then the Americas.
Fermenta & NOBL Join BI
In December 1995, BIVI acquired Fermenta Animal Health Company of Kansas City, Mo., along with its popular and efficacious swine products Denagard
“The addition of the Fermenta swine products in 1995 demonstrated Boehringer Ingelheim's commitment to expanding its presence in the swine industry both in the United States and globally,” says George Heidgerken, president and chief operations officer of BIVI. “These products complemented the existing BI swine portfolio at the time and are still used by producers to solve swine health issues.”
In 1997, BIVI acquired NOBL Laboratories of Sioux Center, Iowa, which further diversified the company's biological line of swine products. Since the early 1980s, NOBL, which had begun as Northwest Veterinary Laboratories in 1978, had rapidly grown to be a leader in the development and manufacture of swine vaccine products.
NOBL Laboratories developed the early and effective E. coli (Toxivac
“NOBL was a company dedicated to swine disease management and production,” recalls Heidgerken. “They were at the forefront of vaccine discovery and worked closely with veterinarians in the field, as well as producers, so they were in a unique position to evaluate and develop effective products. Few companies during that time were as respected in the swine industry as NOBL for its vaccine innovation.”
The BIVI Customer Focus
Today, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., places a high priority on technical support and field services, as well as research and development. In addition, the company has its own Swine Health Management Center in Ames, Iowa, (see sidebar) which is dedicated to providing swine disease diagnostics testing and information management.
In keeping with its history, innovative product research and development remains a core mission of Boehringer Ingelheim, which has one of the highest investments in research as a percentage of sales in the industry. The fruits of BIVI's developments and innovations over the years include the first modified-live-virus vaccine for control of PRRS, the industry's first line of one-dose products, the first virulent plasmid-deleted Salmonella vaccine and the first oral vaccine for Lawsonia (ileitis). As a whole, the company produces more than 20 products for swine veterinarians and producers, as well as innovative and effective products for Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Salmonella and numerous other swine diseases.
Iowa State University's Mengeling adds, “In addition to BIVI's recent contributions to the understanding and control of PRRS, the company has made significant contributions to the industry's understanding of at least two other economically important bacterial diseases. At the same time, it is equally important to recognize the company for its achievements in diagnostics, testing and support of innovative research activities.”
BIVI's president Heidgerken concludes, “Collaborative research is the foundation to the development of solutions to swine health problems and will be even more important in the future. We at Boehringer Ingelheim are proud of the associations we have developed over the years with university and federal government researchers and producer organizations. We strive to bring products to market that are more effective, are easier to administer and add value for the producer.”
The information included in this article was supplied by Kelly Schwalbe on behalf of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.
BIVI Swine Health Resources & Research Programs
In addition to its products, BIVI supports other swine health services and research projects. As part of its acquisition of NOBL Laboratories in 1997, Boehringer Ingelheim obtained state-of-the-art diagnostic facilities at the Iowa State University Research Park in Ames. Today, the Health Management Center (HMC) not only provides accredited diagnostic testing services, but also swine health and production data management services through its Process Improvement Group.
The HMC team consists of 15 dedicated scientists, technicians and other professionals. The diagnostic lab conducts nearly 300,000 tests annually using ELISA and PCR testing procedures for PRRS, Lawsonia, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Salmonella and swine influenza. Last year, the Diagnostic Laboratory received ISO 17025 accreditation from the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation for its high quality standards, quality control and reliability of testing.
The BIVI Process Improvement Group helps producers track and analyze health and production data, giving them greater insight into their swine operations. This information is invaluable to addressing problems and making management decisions that improve production and profitability.
In addition, BIVI supports and collaborates in numerous research studies to help producers control or manage diseases such as PRRS. Since 2003 through its Advancement in PRRS Research Program, the company has provided more than $250,000 in funding to independent researchers to find a cure for this disease. Moreover, total investment in PRRS research by BIVI over the last decade exceeds $10 million.
Denagard and Atgard are registered trademarks of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., St. Joseph, Missouri.
Enterisol, Ingelvac and Toxivac are registered trademarks of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, GmbH, Ingelheim, Germany.