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As we look back on the most captivating Pig333 articles of the year, it is no surprise that half of the top 10 most read articles had to do with COVID-19. Pig333 users were attentive to learning what the pandemic would mean for our industry and to implementing the best practices to keep people safe on the farm and in the slaughterhouse.
Despite disruptions, the pig industry continued to move forward in 2020, continually improving and implementing the latest technologies. Readers this year were also interested in articles about smart farming, a 130,000-sow company in China with multi-story farms, how an ideal truck wash should be, and about an ASF vaccine developed in China.
Take a look back at our most popular articles of the year to make sure you didn’t miss one of the most-read articles on the Pig333 site.
#1
COVID-19 and pig viruses – what can we learn? (March, 17)
Two of the most important virologists of the North American swine industry, Dra. Torremorell and Dra. Culhane drew parallels between the spread of COVID-19 among humans and how swine coronaviruses and influenza viruses are transmitted in pigs. Reflecting on outbreaks of swine diseases can teach us important lessons that can be applied to improving human health. Read more.
#2 COVID-19 persistence on different materials practical implications (March, 25)
Farm biosecurity is key to preventing the entrance of new infections and pig diseases, but human diseases can also be devastating: Covid-19 can put the human teams on our farms at risk. Based on a publication about the persistence of coronaviruses on different materials and in aerosoles, Enric Marco prepared this article about measures we could take on farms to reduce the risk of infection among staff. Read more.
#3 Smart farming: the future of technology is already here (February 25)
Technology is advancing at an unstoppable pace, and taking advantage of the benefits it can offer us is vital. This article described how sensors, 2-D and 3-D cameras, microphones to monitor coughing, and robots can be used on the farm. Read more.
#4 Containment measures for coronavirus (COVID-19) on pig farms (March 17)
A series of practical measures from the Association of Spanish Pig Producers aimed at protecting employee health and ensuring operation on the farm, slaughterhouse, or feed mill could continue in the event of staff illness. Measures discussed included staggering staff into multiple shifts and creating a farm contingency plan. Read more.
#5 An update on porcine coronavirus (February 17)
A review of the different diseases that the coronavirus family of viruses causes in pigs. This article looked at the pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment and control of five swine diseases caused by coronaviruses (TGE, HEV, PED, PRCV, and PDCoV) Read more.
#6 How is COVID-19 affecting the pork and commodity markets? (April 6)
In April last year pork prices were declining due to lower demand from slaughterhouses affected by labor shortages and problems in foreign market access. This article looked at the consequences for wheat, corn, soybean meal, and swine markets. Read more.
#7 The Yangxiang project (January 7)
Yangxiang, a Chinese company with 130,000 sows, gained the swine industry’s attention with its smart farms and multi-story barns. 333 interviewed the company owner to learn how it was developed. Read more.
#8 Biosecurity measures for farm workers against Pandemic SARS-CoV-2 (April 15)
This article and infographic video summarized some of the most important measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 between farm workers while they perform their daily tasks at the farm including splitting workers into teams, staggering arrival times, and practicing good hand hygiene. Read more.
#9
The ideal truck wash for livestock transportation vehicles
(May 4)
This article described what the "ideal" wash station for cleaning animal transport vehicles would look like, complete with the highest standards. The article featured animated layouts of the wash and process showing movement routes of personnel and vehicles. Read more.
#10 What can we expect from the new ASF vaccine developed in China? (April 20)
In this article Enric Marco discussed the implications of a recent publication that described the creation of a seven-gene deleted field virus as a possible candidate for a live attenuated vaccine that could protect against ASF. Read more.
