BioSec Bob here on Thursday, May 21, 2026 — let’s get right into it.
A pig virus thought to be gone for more than two decades has surfaced again, this time transmitted through feral hogs. Yahoo News Singapore is reporting that the virus, which had been eradicated, is now circulating in wild pig populations and poses a renewed biosecurity concern for commercial producers. The reemergence underscores the difficulty of maintaining disease control when wildlife reservoirs exist beyond the farm fence.
On the feed efficiency front, Kerry has developed an enzyme system designed to boost feed conversion rates and overall performance in both poultry and swine operations. The National Provisioner reports the technology targets digestive optimization to help producers squeeze more productivity from their feed inputs — a meaningful development as input costs remain a significant line item for most operations.
Moving to poultry health matters, seven people in Vermont have fallen ill in a Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry, according to WCAX. Wisconsin has also documented cases tied to backyard birds, and Michigan is among multiple states reporting Salmonella infections connected to baby poultry purchases. Health officials are warning consumers about handling practices and the risks associated with direct contact with young birds from hatcheries and feed stores.
Across the Atlantic, government response efforts are intensifying as farmer concerns mount over a pig disease outbreak. EDP24 is reporting that authorities are ramping up outbreak strategy — though the specifics of which disease and which country remain unclear from that report.
The bigger picture on swine disease: the European Food Safety Authority is documenting an uptick in African swine fever outbreaks affecting both domestic pigs and wild boar across the EU. Meanwhile, South Korea has reported 24 African swine fever cases already this year, according to data shared by the Borneo Bulletin — a reminder that ASF continues to spread globally and remains a serious trade and herd management issue.
Keep your biosecurity protocols sharp — there’s a lot moving right now.