Series of PED Prompt Regional Approach to Biosecurity

CANADA - In response to a series of PED outbreaks in Manitoba, swine health officials are encouraging minimal animal movement and limited contact with swine operations in the affected area, writes Bruce Cochrane.
calendar icon 22 May 2017
clock icon 3 minute read

Since 30 April, several Manitoba swine herds within close proximity of one another have been confirmed infected by Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus.

Mark Fynn, the Manager of Quality Assurance and Animal Care Programs with Manitoba Pork, says the first step in dealing with an outbreak is to halt animal movements to and from the infected site and to heighten biosecurity.

Mark Fynn-Manitoba Pork

With the number of cases that have popped up, we're trying to talk about regional biosecurity that we do.

We really want to be able to restrict the amount of movement that's happening, even within the area.

We talk to service providers that are going through there, so that includes people who are doing garbage pickup, the feed guys, Manitoba Hydro, if they have inspectors out in the site or in that area and that sort of thing.

We want to make sure they don't go on those sites.

That's one thing but also, if there's any contamination around the site as well, we don't want to see lots of traffic within the region.

We really encourage everyone within the zone to sort of enhance their biosecurity, double check that their biosecurity they already had in place, they're in full compliance with that every time, every person.

Guys have to treat their yards like they're all dirty and we really have to stop this thing coming through the barn door and that's it, making sure we have full compliance at the barn door.

It's a serious time in that area.

Unfortunately we have quite a number of farms that are going through disease outbreaks and we just need to take this thing really seriously.

Mr Fynn encourages producers, especially those close to the affected area, to reassess their biosecurity and discuss with their herd veterinarians what can be done to enhance biosecurity.

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