BioSec Bob here on Wednesday, May 6, 2026—let’s dig into what’s moving the markets this morning.
We’re leading with pseudorabies in Iowa. Farm Progress is reporting that a swine herd in the state has tested positive for PRV—that’s the first detection in Iowa in 22 years. The discovery’s already sparked a swift industry response, with testing and tracing protocols activated across affected operations. National Hog Farmer notes that the U.S. swine sector’s rapid mobilization around this case demonstrates how far disease surveillance and producer cooperation have come. The speed of identification and the coordinated follow-up are working as designed, but producers should understand what they’re looking at. Pork Business outlines five critical things you need to know right now: PRV is highly contagious in swine, vaccination status matters significantly for your herd, affected animals show neurological signs and reproductive failure, quarantine procedures need to be airtight, and state animal health officials are the first call—not a second thought.
Shifting focus for a moment—there’s a poultry concern hitting multiple states. Wisconsin Public Radio is reporting that backyard poultry flocks have been linked to salmonella infections spreading across Wisconsin and into other parts of the country. Health officials are tracing several human cases back to direct contact with birds kept in home settings. The outbreak underscores just how important biosecurity is, even at the small-flock level, and it’s a reminder that disease doesn’t respect operation size.
Back on the swine side, National Hog Farmer’s also running a feature this week on building your health playbook before crisis hits. The piece walks through what your written protocols should cover—from early warning signs to veterinary contacts to quarantine staging areas. Having it all mapped out before you need it makes the difference between a contained problem and a cascade.
One more thing from overseas: the Moldova news agency ANSA is reporting that the broader European situation remains serious, with active outbreaks of both classical rabies and African swine fever documented in the region. That’s a watch-and-monitor item for anyone tracking international disease pressure.
Lot happening on the disease front—keep your protocols current.