Alberta Farmer Express — As Alberta’s hog industry braces for the seemingly inevitable arrival of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED), the province has announced an early opening to a program to boost on-farm biosecurity. “Even though we do have some connections with feed now, biosecurity is still our best tool in preventing the spread of PED,” said […] Read more
Alta. biosecurity funding boosted under PED pressure
PEDv infectiveness not confirmed in piglet feed: CFIA
Federal lab tests still can’t rule piglet feed in or out as a possible source of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) in Canada. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Monday announced its findings after testing an Ontario company’s hog feed pellets containing U.S.-origin blood plasma from PEDv-infected hogs as an ingredient. [Related story] While […] Read more
PEDv arrives in Sask. on soiled boots, not yet in hogs
Saskatchewan has now officially had a close encounter of the third kind with the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) — but not in hogs. Saskatchewan’s chief veterinary officer Dr. Betty Althouse on Friday reported a confirmed “positive environmental sample” of both PEDv and transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) in a livestock trailer returning to the province from […] Read more
PEDv arrives in North Dakota
North Dakota has become the seventh U.S./Canadian border state with a case of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) in its hog herd. The lone case so far was confirmed this week on a hog farm in the eastern part of the state, North Dakota State University said Thursday. As of Sunday, before North Dakota’s confirmation, the […] Read more
Maple Leaf posts loss on production revamp costs
Reuters — Canadian food processor Maple Leaf Foods, which has been replacing production facilities and setting up a new distribution system, reported a quarterly loss that it blamed on the “tremendous” costs of the restructuring. Maple Leaf’s multi-year program to revamp meat operations to boost profits and better compete with U.S. rivals such as Tyson […] Read more
Rules now on books to enforce hog traceability for July 1
Hog farmers and handlers in Canada now officially have until July 1 to get their operations Pigtrace-compatible. Amendments to the federal Health of Animals Regulations were published Wednesday in the Canada Gazette to make traceability of farmed pigs mandatory effective July 1 this year. The same rules will also apply to farmed wild boars starting […] Read more
PEDv in Manitoba not seen linked to feed
The southeastern Manitoba hog farm confirmed Feb. 14 with porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) remains the province’s only case, as none of 45 other farms known to have had contact with the infected property have turned up any signs of the virus. But with no new Manitoba cases yet in sight, provincial officials now ask: How […] Read more
Quebec’s first case of PEDv confirmed
A farm in Quebec’s Monteregie was confirmed Sunday as the province’s first case of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) in hogs. The provincial agriculture, food and fisheries department didn’t specify whether the affected farm was a farrowing and/or finishing operation or provide other details on its location or the number of mortalities, if any, when it […] Read more
Manitoba, Quebec to declare PED reportable
Producers and veterinarians in Manitoba and labs in Quebec will soon be required by law to report porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) on hog farms. The office of Manitoba’s chief veterinary officer (CVO) announced Friday that the province “has taken the necessary steps” to add PED to its list of reportable diseases and expects the new […] Read more
S. Korea ramps up disinfection after north’s FMD outbreak
Seoul | Reuters — South Korea has stepped up disinfection of citizens returning from North Korea after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in pigs in the communist state. Workers in the Kaesong industrial complex jointly run with North Korea, as well as people crossing the border for reunions with family members will be subject to […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
