Economic impact of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea in Mexico

Abstract

Objective: The effect of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) on the number of weaned piglets pre and post-outbreak, the return time to normal production, weaned cost as well as economic impact (implications) were analyzed.

Design/methodology/approximation: Data were obtained from 24,597 litters from Mexican swine farms. Data was analyzed with a mixed model with repeated measure in order to determine the return to normal production. Production cost was calculated for weaned piglet using the general cost formula with a weighting factor of number of weaned piglets (NWP). The economic impact was estimated using the Mexican Input Output Matrix.

Results: The average NWP pre-outbreak was 9.75 per sow, while during weeks 1 to 6 post-outbreak were 2.43, 2.07, 2.87, 4.42, 6.22 and 8.07 respectively with a cost production per week of $114, $134, $97, $64, $46, $36 and $33 USD. Farms with PED infection returned to statistical production stability in week seven.

Limitations/implications: For each 77 thousand USD not invested in Pig Production was equivalent to a loss of 96 thousand USD in Demand and 12 675 in Supply.

Conclusions: Statistical approach allowed to determine the returning time to normal productivity. Also, the cost methodology with emphasis in a weaned piglet allowed to determine the weaned piglet cost no matter in which physiological stage the contemporaneous sows were.