As part of the initiative, Boehringer Ingelheim is committing $75,000 annually to fund three selected research programs. The program is open to all swine researchers, veterinarians, academia and others within the United States, Canada and Mexico to search for solutions to this economically devastating disease complex.

Klaas Okkinga, product marketing manager with BIVI, says the complexity of the disease and its rapidly increasing prevalence within swine production systems make PCVAD an important focus for the company and the swine industry.

“Porcine circovirus associated disease can be a challenging and economically devastating problem, especially in nursery and grower-finisher systems. Even though circovirus has been identified for 25 years, there are still many unanswered questions about how to manage it."

“The goal of the PCVAD Research Award Program is to fund collaborative research efforts that we hope will bring the entire industry together and lead to practical, clinical relevant solutions that veterinarians and producers can use to prevent or manage the disease the conditions associated with them,“ he says.

Boehringer Ingelheim will award the first three research grants September and is accepting research proposals until August 15. These will be reviewed by an independent board and will be selected based on specific criteria, including potential impact on the pork industry, scientific quality, probability of success in achieving research goals and originality.

If you are interested in submitting a proposal go to the program Web site at www.pcvadresearch.com.

Further Reading