Health level in Switzerland

Animal health is extremely important in Swiss pig herds. Switzerland has one of the best sanitary levels in the world. It is clearly better than that of other European countries.

This is why SUISAG’s Pig Health Service (SGD®) supports animal welfare husbandry as well as quality-assured food production. Producers and the Swiss Pig Health Service (SGD) have been successfully working together for years to maintain and further improve the high level of health in Swiss pig herds.

Thanks to the constant efforts of livestock owners and the SGD, a very good level of animal health prevails at Swiss pig farms. Swiss pigs are free of various otherwise widely spread pathogens.

Swiss pig stocks are free of:

• pseudorabies
• foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)
• classical swine fever
• Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) (no PRRS vaccinations in Switzerland)
• Mycoplasma / enzootic pleuropneumoniae (EP) (apart from individual pure infections each year)

Switzerland is recognized as being officially free of PRRS. This is documented on a regular basis by means of sample checks of the pig herds. Vaccines against PRRS are not permitted in Switzerland.

Enzootic pneumonia (EP) was eradicated in Switzerland upon completion of the farm decontamination project. Decontamination took place on a voluntary basis at SGD farms before 1996, after which it was implemented nationwide. It has been enshrined in animal disease legislation since 2003. In the case of APP (actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae), pathogenic strains were also decontaminated at all farms.

All nucleus & multiplier farms are unsuspicious for mange and atrophic rhinitis.

Vaccination against circovirus is common (about 75% of piglets are vaccinated) to stabilise the health of the animals. The vaccinated animals display greater vitality and are less susceptible to disease.

Various animal diseases are controlled or monitored by the state. You can find complete information about animal disease control in Switzerland as well as reports on relevant animal diseases on the BLV website (in German).

https://www.blv.admin.ch/blv/de/home/tiere/tierseuchen/uebersicht-seuchen.html