Farmscape for January 22, 2015

A southwestern Ontario veterinarian is hopeful Canada's experience with PED can be used to prepare for the next emerging disease that occurs in Canada.
It was one year ago that the first cases of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea were confirmed in Canada.
Since then the infection has affected an estimated 2% of the Canadian sow herd compared to the U.S. experience where between 50 and 70% of the sow inventory has been affected.
Dr. Doug MacDougald, with Southwest Ontario Veterinary Services, told those on hand yesterday for the Banff Pork Seminar, efforts to rid Canadian farms of the infection have been highly effective.

Clip-Dr. Doug MacDougald-Southwest Ontario Veterinary Services:
We estimate that over 90% of the sites that have either been primary cases or secondarily contaminated with pig movement have either been now successfully eliminated or are in the process.
Key factors in the sow herds are attention to piglet management, sanitation, immunization and not having that virus move around.
For the nursery or finisher sites just detailed wash, disinfect, dry has been highly effective.
We've had almost no failures.
I think PED has given us a glimpse of how a collaborative industry with a new emerging disease can work together and be successful on containment and elimination.
I think it provides a blueprint and has pushed forward the vision of strong regional organizations working under a national umbrella for a Canadian swine health strategy.

Dr. MacDougald warns as a country that exports over 70% of its product we are the highest risk nation in the world for any trade limiting disease.
He suggests, if we can use PED as the lever for building a more robust national swine health strategy, we'll be better prepared for the next emerging disease that occurs in Canada.
For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council