Health Monitoring@JSR Genetics

JSR Genetics is a major supplier of breeding stock and semen to customers in the UK and overseas, and our stock is recognised as having both high genetic merit and reliable standards of health and genetics. Genetic merit can only by maximised with stable health and this applies equally to units supplying breeding stock as well as to commercial producers.

JSR Genetics knows that the health status of its animals is paramount. To ensure this, our senior consultant veterinary surgeon, Janet Owen BVetMed DPM MRCVS of the Garth Partnership supervises the Health Monitoring Scheme aided by the professional support of over 30 veterinarians.

Many of the veterinarians engaged with the JSR Health Monitoring Scheme are members of the Pig Veterinary Society. JSR have supported the PVS for several years and fully concur with the aims and roles of the Society in maintaining high standards of pig husbandry and welfare training.

To satisfy both the UK and overseas customers' health requirements each sale is reinforced by this regular monitoring and supported by the offer of veterinary liaison between the company's veterinary consultants and the customer's private veterinary surgeon.

Biosecurity is an essential aspect of maintaining a stable health status and is an integral part of the JSR Health Monitoring Scheme. In addition to being assessed at each veterinary visit, each unit is a member of the JSR Genetic pyramid of DEFRA Approved Sources, and is assessed regularly by DEFRA veterinary officers for confirmation of ongoing high standards of biosecurity.

Objectives

The company health programme has been constructed with the objective of ensuring consistent and high standards of health throughout our nucleus, multiplication and grow-out units to provide assurance of that health status to our customers through rigorous and regular monitoring of every farm.

Key Points

Routine health monitoring is targeted on diseases that can cause serious economic loss.
Quarterly clinical inspections and health appraisals are compulsory
All breeding stock and AI are produced on monitored farms
Open communication - health records are always open to inspection on request
Veterinary advisory and liaison service is available

Diseases monitored

All herds are continuously monitored to establish their health status with reference to the following specific diseases:

Also monitored are the pig diseases which are notifiable in the UK and EU:

Monitoring undertaken

Quarterly Health Visit
Quarterly abattoir examination
Lung examination
PRRS samples
Nasal swabs
Dung screening
Mange screening