[Monitoring and surveillance systems for health care in pig farms: sense and nonsense].

This paper deals with the question which contribution to the pig health care decision-making process might be provided by monitoring and surveillance systems (MOSS). The principles of such systems and potential applications at the administrative level, public health level and primary producers' level are presented together with indications about possibilities and limitations. The different application levels are determined by the respective objectives and the different types of diseases. It is concluded that MOSS can positively contribute to the pig health care but under strict conditions and not in all cases.