The Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative says efforts to contain the spread of PED have taken communications between pork producers and manure applicators to a new higher level.
Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus is spread through pig to pig contact or through direct or indirect contact with infected manure.
John Carney, the executive director of the Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative says, in response, the entire industry has stepped up its focus on biosecurity.
Biosecurity has always been important but it’s certainly taken biosecurity to the next level and it’s also really put a focus on communication.
In terms of what does that communication look like between the producer and the manure applicator, they’re really working hard now on coming up with a game plan.
Before the manure applicator will come to the farm they’ll discuss the complete plan, the farm’s biosecurity, the line of separation on the farm, how they keep the clean and dirty part of the farm separate, when will the work be done, who’s coming, if there’s a manure nutrient planner involved they’ll consider that so there’s all this planning and communication that is now going on.
I’d say it always did go on but they’re taken them to even a higher level now.
They’ll always be sure to make sure the applicator understands the farm’s biosecurity plan, they’ll have a line of separation established to minimize risk, the manure application equipment is cleaned and disinfected before it gets to the work site, farm staff does not come into contact with the manure applicators or their pumping or application equipment and they really consciously plan to avoid crossover of pads used by manure application equipment with regular farm staff or farm traffic and, should a manure spill occur on a driveway, if it wasn’t possible to minimize that crossover, of course they would clean that up.
For more visit the MLMMI web site at manure.mb.ca.
