One of Australia's leading agricultural scientists, Dr Conny Turni, from the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) will be heavily involved in the trials, reports Queensland Country Life.

She is a recognised international expert in the diagnosis of Glässer's disease, caused by the bacterium Haemophilus parasuis, which attacks the pig's joints, lungs, heart and brain.

DEEDI science leader, Dave Jordan, said in Queensland the annual cost for farms affected by the disease was about $24,000 per 500 sows, which represented a major economic impact on pig production.

He said: "Dr Turni has been working on vaccines for Glässer's disease in collaboration with the Pork CRC, and is looking at innovative techniques to produce live vaccines that can be adapted to each individual farm.

"These vaccines have the potential to immunise piglets against strains of the bacteria, which will hopefully save the pig industry millions of dollars.

"Glässer's disease is also a major problem in Taiwan and Dr Turni's research could have major ramifications for other Asian countries and around the world."

Dr Turni, who will be visiting Taiwan to complete her research trials in April, said her visit to Taiwan would enable her to conduct field trials at piggeries that had never been exposed to the bacteria, and if successful, could lead to a quicker and more cost effective way of producing vaccines against Glässer's disease.

Dr Turni said: "These trials could ensure that vaccines could be commercially available at a much quicker rate, to control the various strains of the bacteria that cause the disease.

"It will also enable greater international collaboration between Australia and Taiwan, which could have further benefits across a range of agricultural industries."

Further Reading

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Find out more information on Glässer's disease by clicking here.