The list of important things to accomplish in the barn seems to be never-ending. Yet, after pig shows came to a halt in the spring of 2020, that list could be considered a privilege; something we GET to do. No one in the show pig community ever wants to see pig shows stop again. One precaution for our industry to add to the to-do list is to: TRACK YOUR PIGS!

Why to Track Your Show Pigs

Traceability of the swine industry is absolutely vital in safeguarding both the animals and the greater pork industry from the rapid and devastating spread of diseases. In the event of a disease outbreak, particularly African Swine Fever, which is a threat to the global pork industry and is already present in numerous European and Asian countries, the industry would come to a halt, and the impact would be devastating. 

At every juncture, be it show barns, sow farms, or any other assembly points where pigs convene, tracking pigs would be a benefit to understand the traceability and impact of a disease outbreak. It's important to recognize the sheer frequency in which show pig families travel across state lines. In the face of an outbreak, disease control measures, such as enforced stop movements, would inevitably be implemented across all facets of pork production – with SHOW PIGS being no exception. This underscores that traceability isn't merely about adhering to guidelines, but a proactive, vital tool in mitigating potential outbreaks and ensuring the ongoing safety and sustainability of the industry at large.

"To assist animal health officials with both these tasks, the pork industry must have a robust pre-harvest traceability system where data can be shared at the click of a button and visualized by officials in a way that supports situational awareness and risk-based decision making. AgView makes this happen securely and seamlessly,” said Patrick Webb, DVM and Assistant Chief Veterinarian at National Pork Board.

Dr. Webb’s role at the National Pork Board is to oversee various health initiatives within the swine industry. He leads the team that created AgView, a relatively new traceability software system. 

The AgView software helps producers of all sizes by providing disease status updates and pig movement data to state animal health officials. This will be crucial in the event of a foreign animal disease outbreak. Any hope of getting back to business would rely heavily on how quickly state and federal animal health officials can identify and contain the disease. The longer this takes, the longer there would be disruption to the show pig world, especially related to prohibiting shows and exhibitions in the early phases of an outbreak. 

“State and federal and health officials will need a high level of situational awareness to be comfortable with restarting shows and exhibitions,” said Dr. Webb.

Where to Track Your Show Pigs

AgView is an opt-in, no cost, database and dashboard application that provides a location for producers (you) to load premises information, pig movement information and Secure Pork Supply documentation that can be shared instantly at the producer’s permission with their state vet’s AgView account. AgView allows state animal health officials the ability to visualize and analyze producer-shared traceability data in a way that supports situational awareness and risk-based decision making. 

How to Track Your Show Pigs

Utilizing this free tool will help the show pig world positively contribute to the pork industry as a whole. It's the newest and easiest way to track show pigs. Within the AgView  account, movement records can easily be recorded and a barn premises can be established. All the data in an account is held securely and belongs to the producer, and the data can only be shared by the producer. The safest and quickest process to keep the show pig industry on a healthy track is to start creating your AgView account today!

Pigs are pigs and regardless of it being a commercial or show pig – we're all in this together, so it's important for each producer and exhibitor to be as prepared as possible for a foreign animal disease outbreak. From keeping commercial pork operations moving efficiently and pork on the shelves, to continuing to have pig shows, taking the proper precautions can have a great impact on the future of the pork industry. The next time the trailer is loaded and the to-do list is checked off, don’t forget the check mark for traceability. 

To see how easy it is to track your show pigs, dig into AgView for yourself and learn why this Pork Checkoff-funded tool can be so impactful to the pork industry as a whole.