A rise in swine dysentery cases has triggered calls for better biosecurity on UK pig farms.
Confirmed cases of swine dysentery have increased from just eight in 2021 to 54 in 2024 – with numbers rising year-on-year, according to the GB Pig Surveillance Dashboard, run by the Animal and Plant Health Agency and SRUC.
The Significant Diseases Charter, run by Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, has also reported 12 cases of swine dysentery in seven counties up to 11 September this year, including one in Scotland.
Swine dysentery is an infectious bacterial disease that affects growers, finishers and younger breeding stock. It remains a major concern for the pig industry due to its welfare, production and financial impacts.
Breakdown
Biosecurity specialist Nigel Bennet from Roam Technology says the increase highlights a breakdown in biosecurity both within and between pig units — and urges farmers to take immediate action.
“We all know that African Swine Fever is knocking at our door,” he says. “This data shows there are already biosecurity weaknesses that are allowing diseases like swine dysentery to spread. Every movement of people, vehicles or animals has the potential to bring new infections in or spread them around the site.”
The AHDB recently relaunched its Muck Free Truck campaign to reinforce the importance of clean vehicles entering farms and to give producers confidence to turn away those that aren’t.
Work together
AHDB’s Lauren Turner agrees that the industry must work together to raise biosecurity standards. She is encouraging producers to rise to the challenge and be open and transparent about the problem.
“There’s still stigma around reporting swine dysentery — nobody wants to be ‘that one’ — but we need to tackle this as an industry. The earlier we can alert others, combined with good biosecurity, the better,” she says.
To help farmers identify weaknesses, AHDB has also obtained a 12-month licence for a BioCheck tool, used by vets to assess individual farm biosecurity and highlight areas for improvement.
Veterinary surgeon Annie Davis from The George Vet Group says they have also seen an increase in mild or subclinical cases where clinical signs are less obvious.
“In less dramatic cases, you might just see loose stools, particularly in slatted systems,” she says. “The only way to know what you’re dealing with is to test — and that’s what we’re encouraging all farmers to do.”
Prompt diagnosis
Prompt diagnosis is vital so that control measures can be implemented quickly to limit spread both within and between farms.
“Internal biosecurity is just as important as external,” adds Dr Davis. “Look closely at pig movements, shared equipment and medication protocols. Where disease pressure is too high, partial depopulation or repopulation may be the only effective option.”
Good biosecurity isn’t just about stopping swine dysentery – it’s about protecting the overall health, productivity and reputation of your farm, says Mr Bennet. “By keeping infectious diseases out – or stopping them spreading – producers can safeguard pig welfare, reduce antibiotic use and protect their bottom line.”