Epidemiological, Economic, and Productive Resilience to PRRSV in “Next-Generation” Versus Conventional Intensive Pig Production: A Case Study

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) remains a constraint to the sustainability of pig production. This 32-month retrospective case study compared the epidemiological, productive, and economic resilience of two intensive farrowing units in Northern Italy, a conventional farm and a Next-Generation Farm (NGF), integrating advanced structural, technological, and management features. Epidemiological resilience was assessed using time-to-stability (TTS), while productive dynamics were monitored through statistical process control, including cumulative sum charts (CUSUMs), for six key performance indicators. Economic indicators were also collected. TTS was 49 weeks in the NGF versus 91 weeks in the conventional farm, prolonged by a second heterologous PRRSV strain. CUSUM monitoring identified early production deviations 9–21 weeks before virological detection, particularly in return-to-service and fertility rates. During TTS, instability in farrowing, return-to-service, and fertility rates were more persistent in the conventional farm (55.2%, 20.7%, and 17.2% out-of-control signals) than in the NGF (0%, 0%, and 6.7%). Post-outbreak, feed, medication, and labor costs per weaned piglet were lower in the NGF than the conventional unit, resulting in lower combined operating costs (€51.30 vs. €57.67/piglet, respectively). CUSUM may complement virological surveillance by providing early evidence of herd-level production deviations preceding PRRSV detection. Overall, the NGF suggested greater resilience through faster epidemiological recovery, greater reproductive stability, and lower operating costs, supporting the potential of NGF systems and a multidimensional approach to resilience and sustainability.