The Canadian Swine Health Intelligence Network reports protocols designed to protect Canadian swine herds from infectious diseases have been an important part of keeping Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea out of Canada.
In mid-May Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea, a viral disease that causes severe diarrhea resulting in particularly high mortality in piglets was identified in the U.S. mid-west, it has now spread to 13 states affecting more than 200 farms and, while the number of cases had been growing on a weekly basis, the number of newly infected farms has stabilized.
Ongoing surveillance through the Canadian Swine Health Intelligence Network shows Canada remains free of PED.
Dr. Chris Byra, the manager of the Canadian Swine Health Intelligence Network’s management team, reports procedures developed to protect Canadian herds from other diseases are also valuable in guarding against the introduction of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea.
A couple of things have made a difference for us.
One is the biosecurity program that the Canadian Swine Health Board put on in the last few years has certainly improved biosecurity in Canada in general.
The disease Brachyspira that’s been a problem in western Canada and throughout the mid-west of the U.S. has resulted in increasing the level of biosecurity around movement of pigs and transport vehicles.
Brachyspira is spread the very same way as the PED virus.
Both of them are spread by fecal material, manure transferring from one farm to another, whether it’s on a pig or on a boot or on a truck.
In that sense the focus on controlling Brachyspira would help to reduce the spread of PED virus if it ever occurred in Canada.
Dr. Byra stresses, because the organism can survive warm temperatures, the concern has been with trucks that have hauled pigs to the U.S. and are returning to Canada.
He encourages producers to make sure their truckers have washed, disinfected and dried their trucks before coming onto the farm.
