BioSec Bob here on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 — let’s dig into what’s moving the swine side this morning.
South Dakota State University wrapped up their annual swine day with some solid takeaways for producers watching the bottom line, according to Pork Business. The big three concerns coming out of that meeting: PRRS control remains the baseline challenge every operation’s fighting, feed costs continue eating into margins, and disease risk across the production chain isn’t letting up. Nothing shocking there, but the fact that feed economics and disease management are pulling equal weight with PRRS tells you where producer headaches are concentrated right now.
Over to the weather file — Feedstuffs is flagging what a wet fall can do to your herd. Moisture buildup in barns creates the perfect setup for respiratory issues and undermines pig performance across the board. With fall conditions staying damp in much of the country, ventilation management and pen sanitation are going to make the difference between a normal season and a costly one.
On the disease front, National Hog Farmer is reporting on hemorrhagic tracheitis syndrome showing up in nursery pigs. This one’s worth watching — it’s a respiratory condition that can hit young stock hard and spread fast if you’re not on top of it. If you’re seeing unexplained respiratory distress in your nurseries, that’s a flag to get your diagnostics sharp.
Feed quality’s another moving piece. Kansas State research covered by National Hog Farmer is shedding light on consistency issues in soybean meal — the protein source you’re probably relying on. Variability in meal quality can throw off your formulations and impact feed efficiency, so knowing what you’re actually getting in the bin matters.
Shifting to some emerging research: Pork Business reports that scientists are mapping gaps in immunity to porcine astrovirus 4 across different production stages. The virus has been circulating, and understanding where your herd’s vulnerable helps you tighten up vaccination and biosecurity timing.
One more technical story — Pork Business is looking at barn lighting as a tool for computer vision systems in swine facilities. Proper lighting setup turns out to be critical for automated monitoring to work right, which affects your ability to catch health and behavior issues early.
Keep your eye on moisture and ventilation this week.