The Swine Health Information Center, led by Dr. Megan Niederwerder, has carried out nearly 20 research projects focusing on wean-to-harvest biosecurity. One recent project explored ways to improve the motivation and compliance of personnel, particularly animal caretakers, on swine farms. This approach involved rewarding personnel and providing support and performance feedback from supervisors to those responsible for executing biosecurity protocols, ultimately enhancing biosecurity measures.
Dr. Niederwerder’s work represents a fresh perspective on biosecurity practices in the swine industry. By emphasizing the importance of personnel engagement and compliance, she aims to optimize biosecurity protocols and minimize the risk of disease transmission in swine populations. In an interview with Brownfield at the 2024 World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Dr. Niederwerder discussed the potential benefits of her research for the swine industry and the importance of ongoing efforts to promote biosecurity awareness among stakeholders.