The Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) eradication program in Hungary, implemented between 2014 and 2022, utilized complete herd replacement and the introduction of high-performance breeds to enhance production efficiency and environmental sustainability in the swine sector. As a result, the sow population was reduced by 26.2% while maintaining nearly the same number of slaughter pigs. This led to significant reductions in ammonia emissions (−145,857 kg), slurry production (−153,879 m³), nitrogen emissions (−1,409,951 kg), and overall greenhouse gas emissions (91,768,362 kg CO2eq). Additionally, the feed and water consumption were substantially decreased by 53,237,805 kg and 292,978,094 L, respectively, further lowering the sector’s environmental footprint. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of customized eradication strategies and advanced breeding practices in reducing the environmental impact of animal husbandry. These findings underscore the necessity for ongoing collaboration among scientists, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to develop and implement sustainable livestock production methods. The Hungarian experience provides valuable insights into how targeted interventions can simultaneously improve production outcomes and reduce the environmental burden in the swine industry.

Background: Mycoplasma hyopharyngis is a commensal bacterium in the upper respiratory tract of swine. As it is recognized to be apathogenic, examinations regarding this species are scarce, compared to other swine mycoplasmas. However, in a few cases, M. hyopharyngis was detected in lesions of different organs. This report presents a case study in which M. hyopharyngis (along with other bacteria) was isolated from the joint of a pig showing lameness. Case presentation: A Hungarian farm was repopulated with 250 gilts and 1,700 finishers after undergoing a complete depopulation and disinfection. Two days later, cases of diarrhoea and septicaemia caused by Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium were seen in the finishers. At the same time, following the first farrowing, swollen joints were observed in 21-25 days old piglets. Joint samples were collected, and isolation of Mycoplasma sp. and other bacteria was attempted. Analysis of the joint samples revealed the presence of Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus hyicus, Aerococcus viridans, Trueperella pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae and M. hyopharyngis. Conclusions: This is the second isolation of M. hyopharyngis from joints, which highlights the necessity of a better understanding the biology of this often-overlooked species, and its role in the progress of arthritis or other lesions.

This review investigates genetic strategies aimed at improving robustness in pigs to enhance disease resistance and reduce reliance on antibiotics. Robustness refers to a pig’s ability to stay healthy and productive under stressful or challenging conditions. The review outlines current breeding practices focused on key traits such as maternal ability, growth, immune function, and survival, and highlights that these robustness-related traits show measurable heritability, making them suitable for genetic improvement. Special attention is given to resistance against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), a major disease in swine. We also evaluate breed-specific differences, environmental influences, and immune response profiles, emphasizing their impact on breeding outcomes. The development of robust pig lines emerges as a sustainable strategy to reduce antibiotic dependence and enhance herd health. A distinctive contribution of this work is the integration of genetic robustness and resilience strategies with antibiotic stewardship objectives. We link genomic selection, advanced phenotyping, and targeted management interventions within a One Health framework to outline actionable, system-level pathways for reducing antimicrobial inputs. To our knowledge, this combined genetic and public health perspective has not been comprehensively addressed previously.