Guaranteed major reduction in salmonella cases

Applying HyCare means choosing to continuously improve food safety and your image.

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The integrated HyCare approach to hygiene is an undisputed success. “For over 3 years, all salmonella values at dry feed farms prove that all companies that use this method have structurally removed themselves from category III by a large distance”, says Arjan Wermink, a HyCare specialist and coach for pig farmers at MS Schippers. “This is why we offer pig farmers who implement the HyCare method a guarantee: their salmonella status will never return to the highest risk category again.”

Salmonella bacteria frequently appear in pigs’ intestines, and is a zoonotic disease. This means salmonella can jump to humans and cause gastrointestinal illness after having eaten contaminated food. The impact of this pathogen in the pig meat supply chain is therefore a significant one. In German slaughterhouses, for instance, salmonella has a high priority status. Pigs originating from farms with a high salmonella status (category III) are paid lower prices.
“This financial impact also directly affects the requirements for piglets in pig-breeding companies” says Arjan Wermink, a HyCare specialist and coach for pig farmers at MS Schippers. “It means that the salmonella status becomes a crucial component for all pig farmers. Strict hygiene and proper vermin control are necessities for safeguarding low salmonella infection rates.”

The hygiene expert has observed that companies that adopted the HyCare method, have successfully delivered piglets and pigs with low salmonella infection rates. “Companies that start using this method with an OD% > 40 have registered improvements of this number in each subsequent period”, Werkmink explains.

“This data is our foundation for offering pig farmers who adopt HyCare in their facilities a clear guarantee. Together we can structurally reduce salmonella infection rates in pigs. Pig farms that use HyCare never return to category III again, and that’s a major leap, both in terms of food safety and the public perception of the quality of pork.”

Health gains

“Everything that leads to an improvement of animal health and additional safeguards for food safety is tangible progress”, says Roland van Loon, who is the Director of the Dutch Van Loon Group meat processing company.
“The fact that HyCare guarantees improvement in terms of salmonella is quite impressive. Consumers want to enjoy tasty meat that originates from healthy animals. This is why we continue to push for implementation of this integrated approach to hygiene with our pig suppliers. The hygiene, structure and cleanliness of companies that have adopted HyCare also contribute to the public’s perception of our industry.”

No argument

Erik Bouwmeester is the piglets and pigs purchaser for Tönnies Livestock in the Benelux. To him, it is quite simple: “Managing salmonella at pig farms is a prerequisite. If you want to structurally deliver pigs without the financial risks associated with high salmonella infection rates, your pigs and piglets must be demonstrably safe and free of salmonella. There is no argument on that and we strictly monitor it too. Multipliers and pig farmers who want to improve and safeguard their salmonella status by using the HyCare method, also strategically invest in a larger degree of certainty in their sales, as well as a solid reputation.”