Pig production and health status of pigs in Sweden
The mean size of sow holds (n=700) was 185 sows. Fattening enterprises (n=900) in men reared 945 pigs to market weight, but 88 % of the pigs that were slaughtered emanated from the 360 herds that delivered more than 750 pigs to slaughter.
The health status of the Swedish pig population is favourable due to the geographic location at the Scandinavian Peninsula and due to a restricted import of live pigs. Import restrictions used to be administered by the Swedish Board of Agriculture, but since Sweden joined of the EU that mission has been overtaken by a branch organisation entitled the Swedish Farmers Disease Control.
Pigs in Sweden are declared free from all infections presented on the former A-list of the International Office of Epizootics (OIE) as well as from porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and transmissible gastro-enteritis (TGE). Aujeszky´s disease (AD) was eradicated in 1997. A national control program combat Salmonella whenever diagnosed - regardless of serotype. Since 1984, Salmonella has in general been diagnosed in less than 5 pig herds per year.
Nucleus and multiplying herds are also declared free from Atrophic rhinitis (toxin producing strains of Pasteurella multocida), Brachyspira hyodysenteriae and Sarcoptes scabieii. This is documented annually by laboratory tests. Since 2020, a voluntary control program aimed to eradicate swine dysentery (SD) at a national level has been established. At present less than 10 herds are deemed with SD.