Manure Applicator Reduces PED Virus Risk

US - Pork producers need to be minimise the risk of spreading porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDv) through equipment used to pump and apply manure on land, according to Larry Jacobson, Extension Agricultural Engineer at the University of Minnesota Extension.
calendar icon 16 September 2013
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With the harvest season fast approaching, the field application of stored manure from animal facilities will soon follow.

This year, pork producers need to be aware of the risk of spreading porcine epidemic diarrhoea (PED) through equipment used to pump and apply manure on land.

This is important on all farms but especially those with pigs exhibiting clinical signs of the disease.

PED is a viral enteric disease affecting only swine; clinical symptoms are diarrhoea, fever, vomiting and death (age-dependent). PED was first detected in the United States this spring. PED can be spread through oral-faecal contact, manure contaminated boots, clothing, birds and wildlife, transport trailers, and other equipment.

Spread of the virus continues. As of 1 September, the disease had been confirmed on more than 500 US swine herds. It is both a good animal husbandry practice and a good neighbour policy for all pork farmers with pigs exhibiting clinical signs of PED to obtain a confirmed diagnosis. Then, establish enhanced biosecurity practices immediately to avoid spreading the virus among their own animals and/or to neighboring swine herds.

Equipment can easily spread this virus from infected farms and barns to uninfected farms and barns because many pork producers hire commercial manure applicators to pump and land apply their manure from a farm's storage pits, tanks, and/or basins. In response to this urgent concern, the National Pork Board (NPB) and several Midwestern universities (Michigan State University, Iowa State University, and University of Minnesota), have released a one-page fact sheet with biosecurity recommendations commercial manure haulers should follow to reduce the risk of spreading this virus.

The fact sheet emphasises the need for the manure applicator to communicate closely pork producers when pumping manure on a farm. Good communications helps reduce the risk of transferring this virus by manure handling equipment either from or to the farm. The fact sheet is available at z.umn.edu/preventped.

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