A Red Deer based swine veterinarian reports the diligence with which livestock trailers are being washed and disinfected to reduce the potential spread of PED still varies widely.
To help reduce the risk of spreading Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea provincial pork organizations in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, the Canadian Pork Council and a team of western Canadian veterinarians have rolled out the Canadian Truck Wash Facility Registration Pilot Project.
Dr. Egan Brockoff, a swine veterinarian with Prairie Swine Health Services in Red Deer, explains over the past month auditors have been assessing truck wash facilities and truck wash procedures using a new tool developed late last year.
We have found that there’s lots of opportunity for improved education in the truck wash facilities but we found that the truck washes are very receptive.
They want to learn and they want to work with the industry closely to make sure that they’re protecting your pigs as well and give you every opportunity to protect your pigs and your neighbors pigs because it’s not just about you, it’s the industry as a whole and what you do affects everyone else.
From early observations a lot of the washes are doing a great job but we don’t see every trailer being washed with the same diligence.
Some people are still not using soaps and some people are still not using disinfectants.
We see the odd trailer that just gets fire hosed out and that of course increases the risk for everyone else following you and it doesn’t lower your risk when you go home if you just fire hosed out your trailer.
Dr. Brockoff says the pilot will continue all through March at which time information gathered from the three participating provinces will be combined and assessed.
He encourages any of the major truck washes interested in participating to contact Alberta Pork.
