PIC USA Announces the Release of the Design and Initial Research Findings of TADD -Thermo-Assisted Drying and Decontamination- for Unrestricted Use in the Swine Industry.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers/High-Tech Writers

FRANKLIN, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 10, 2004

PIC USA, a division of Sygen International plc, announces the development and initial research findings of a new technology/process to reduce disease transmission risk associated with livestock trailer movement. TADD (Thermo-Assisted Drying and Decontamination) is a drying process that utilizes controlled heat and airflow to eliminate PRRSv pathogens in an expedited timeframe, when compared to industry standard drying procedures. In an effort to provide maximum economic benefit to the North American Pork Industry in combating the devastating PRRS virus (PRRSv), PIC is placing all information in the public domain for use by all interested parties.

The underlying principle behind TADD is to raise the interior of trailers to a temperature of 160 F for 30 minutes, to expedite the complete drying and total degradation of the virus whatever the external weather conditions. "The project began over 3 years ago as an idea by PIC veterinarians and logistics personnel to examine temperature and time required to effectively to rid the trailer of this detrimental virus. Their ingenuity, along with that of several key vendors, produced the first prototype in PIC's Kentucky Transport Center in 2001", said Dr. Montse Torremorell, Health Assurance Director and recipient of the 2003 Allen Leman Science in Practice Award. Since then, the system has been repeatedly tested and refined through internal analysis and monitoring at PIC's Franklin, Kentucky and Fort Dodge, Iowa Transportation Centers.

PIC USA commissioned Dr. Scott Dee with the Swine Disease Eradication Center at the University of Minnesota to validate the process utilizing scale models of trailers in a controlled, scientific environment. Dr. Dee's results were initially presented to veterinarians, nutritionists and production managers from across the US at PIC's recent Technical Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee. The research findings determined that the use of the TADD system was as effective as overnight drying treatment, but required far less downtime. In a series of 10 replicates, the TADD system resulted in a 100% success rate in eliminating the PRRSv pathogen strains in the trailer after a 30-minute treatment period. Other methods that were also evaluated included forced air with no heat (yielded 6 out of 10 positives for the virus) and a washing only technique (10 out of 10 positives for virus) and overnight drying. The only alternative method scoring as well as TADD for no presence of the virus was that of 8 hours of overnight drying, but the effectiveness of that method is highly influenced by environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity.

Because of the enormous economic impact of this disease on the North American pork industry(1), PIC has chosen to release all design, validation and performance data on TADD directly into the public domain for unrestricted use by all industry participants. "Although this is not a silver bullet to combat PRRSv", said Dennis Harms, Managing Director of PIC North America, "it could become a cornerstone of an eradication protocol for a commercial production system, state or region. For that reason, PIC is moving ahead with funding to validate the efficacy of TADD in full size trailers, as well as to explore the feasibility of TADD to decontaminate trailers from other swine pathogens", Harms continued. "It is our intention also to share this with the industry for its overall benefit, as soon as possible."

(1) Recent estimates place the annual impact of PRRSv on producers to be over $600 million per year

About PIC:

PIC, a division of Sygen, is the international leader in providing genetically superior pig breeding stock and technical support for maximizing genetic potential to commercial pork producers. Operating for over 40 years, PIC's success is attributed to its thorough concentration on, and significant investment in, all aspects of genetics, technology and health. For more information, visit http://www.pic.com.

About Sygen:

Sygen International plc is a world leader in applying quantitative genetics and biotechnology to animal breeding. The company's technology, products and services enable producers and farmers to enhance meat quality and improve efficiency in the production of meat animals. Sygen applies a unique combination of quantitative genetics and biotechnology to animal breeding, which is applicable across all livestock species. Sygen's products and services, which allow farmers and producers to create higher quality and healthier non-GMO food products, add value throughout the global meat supply chain of farmers, producers, processors, distributors, retailers and consumers. Headquartered in Oxfordshire, UK, Sygen companies operate in 30 countries on five continents, with laboratories located in Kentucky, USA, and Cambridge, UK. For more information, visit http://www.sygeninternational.com.