BioSec Bob here on Thursday, June 25, 2026 — let’s dig into what’s moving markets and barns this morning.
National Hog Farmer is reporting that producers working the wean-finish phase are seeing real gains by tightening up data collection on animal performance alongside disease monitoring protocols. The piece highlights how farms tracking individual pig weight gain, feed conversion, and health outcomes in real time are catching performance dips earlier — often before clinical signs show up. Producers who’ve integrated basic health metrics into their standard production data sets are reporting faster intervention windows and fewer total losses by phase. The takeaway from operations doing this well: disease pressure doesn’t have to crater your numbers if you’re reading the signals.
Over in Europe, Reuters is reporting that France lost hundreds of thousands of poultry birds during this week’s heatwave. High temperatures across the country pushed beyond what commercial operations could manage even with ventilation upgrades running full tilt. The losses hit both broiler and layer operations, with some facilities reporting mortality spikes in a matter of hours once ambient temps spiked.
Shifting to the Philippines, where African swine fever continues to reshape trade policy — Inquirer.net reports that a town in Capiz province has imposed a complete ban on pork product entry following detection of the virus in neighboring areas. The local government has closed borders to all fresh, frozen, and processed pork goods moving into the municipality. This is the first step toward regional containment, though enforcement will be the real test.
The Pig Site is covering nutrition’s expanding role in meat quality outcomes. Producers are learning that feed formulation choices earlier in the grow-finish cycle are directly affecting carcass composition, marbling consistency, and processing yields at the plant. Mineral balance, amino acid ratios, and vitamin timing during specific growth phases are showing measurable impacts on final product grade.
Back to the Philippines — Inquirer.net is reporting that a new African swine fever outbreak in Negros Occidental has killed over 500 pigs. The outbreak was confirmed in a commercial operation, marking another significant loss in that region and adding pressure to neighboring provinces already managing disease spread.
Finally, National Hog Farmer is flagging New World screwworm as a reminder that every wound — from tail bites to castration sites to abrasions — deserves a second look. Screwworm infestations move fast once established, and delayed detection can turn a minor injury into a serious welfare and mortality issue. Farms should review their wound inspection protocols and know what early infestation looks like.
Stay alert on disease pressure — it’s reshaping operations on three continents right now.