PCVAD Experience Brings Industry and Govt Together
CANADA - An analysis of the impacts of Porcine Circovirus Associated Disease has shown the experience has taught stakeholders within the Canadian pork industry and Canada's public agencies to work together to address livestock diseases, writes Bruce Cochrane. EBiz Professionals and the Serecon Consulting Group analyzed the economic and animal production Impacts of Porcine Circovirus Associated Disease on the Canadian and North American pork industries from the first quarter of 2005 to October 2010 on behalf of the Canadian Swine Health Board.
Bob Burden, with the Serecon Consulting Group, told those attending Swine Health Forum 2010 in Quebec City the analysis was based on interviews with swine veterinarians across Canada and case studies on the farm to identify costs resulting the disease.
Bob Burden-Serecon Consulting Group
The most significant impacts would be on the finishing operations, just the nature of the disease and the nature of the industrial organization.
In terms of geographically, it hit Quebec probably hardest and first and so therefor the majority, 40 per cent of the impacts were in the province of Quebec.
Then as it rolled out across the country they developed a vaccine as of 2006, the end of 2006, so obviously as that vaccine came into play the impact of the disease dropped.
But this disease is costing the Canadian pork industry about 60 million bucks a year so I think the industry is going to continue to work on biosecurity, continue to work on surveillance so you can identify these diseases quicker, react quicker and more effectively.
But I think the probably the most important thing that's happened here and where they will continue to focus will be on the relationships between the public agencies, CFIA, the veterinary science and the producers to try to minimize the impact of any future disease outbreaks.
Mr Burden says as a result of PCVAD the industry and Canada's public agencies, including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Agriculture Canada have come together to deal with disease issues.