The Manager of Swine Health Programs with Manitoba Pork says the lessons learned from Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea have resulted in much more effective on-farm biosecurity protocols.
Last week the first two cases for 2020 of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea were confirmed in Manitoba, a dramatic contrast to 2019 when 82 farms were infected.
Jenelle Hamblin, the Manager of Swine Health Programs with Manitoba Pork, says it doesn’t hurt to reiterate the importance of on-farm biosecurity.
What, who, when is going on and off your farm? What are your entry protocols not only for people but for supplies? As well, we’ve talked about the risk of manure and some of the efforts that producers can take thinking about manure agitation. Can you do subsurface agitation, prevent aerosolization as best you can. Direct injection of manure is a nice option with the same benefits. Dust control was another one that was heavily adopted during and following 2019. Dry conditions, there’s some strong correlation that that virus is moving in the air and putting dust control in the farmyard and on the road leading up to the driveway or lane certainly is something that can help to keep that dust down and hopefully prevent that virus from moving. We’ve talked about transport C and D.
I think we have done an excellent job of mitigating that risk but always being aware and asking those questions, ensuring that a transport trailer that’s pulling up to your barn has been cleaned and disinfected in an effective way, really any of those touchpoints that are coming into your farm.
~ Jenelle Hamblin, Manitoba Pork
Hamblin says there’s been some heavy evaluation and a lot of changes have been implemented on-farm. She says this virus has taught us a lot of lessons and it continues to teach us things.
