Protecting Pigs From Disease Key to Maintaining Economic Viability of Pork Production

The General Manager of Manitoba Pork says protecting the province’s swine herd from disease is key to maintaining the economic viability of pork production.
An article posted to Manitoba Pork's web site and circulated through Manitoba community newspapers examines the challenges faced by Canada's pork producers, from protecting swine herds from the threat of disease to updating the rules for the care and handling of pigs to discussions surrounding tariffs and trade.
Manitoba Pork General Manager Cam Dahl says the success of efforts to contain Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea have demonstrated the commitment of pork producers.

Quote-Cam Dahl-Manitoba Pork:

I think the evidence is that we're not seeing outbreaks in our barns.We know from testing that the disease is around or there are multiple diseases around at processing or assembly yards and yet it's not getting into the barns.There are really two steps.One is a real focus on biosecurity and preventing outbreaks and then a very rapid response if an outbreak occurs.

Those are really cornerstones of the effort to keep all diseases out of barns.We're focused on PED at this point but really to keep all diseases out of the barn.It's really all segments.Transport biosecurity would be one example.It's making sure the trucks and trailers are clean, making sure we don't go from a loading dock at a processing facility back to a sow barn for example, on farm paying close attention to the biosecurity protocols.

It just takes one missed step, not following that protocol one time and you have an outbreak.It's all parts of the value chain and there's a lot more attention being paid than 20 years ago.

Dahl notes the last major PED outbreak cost the industry an estimated 100 million dollars and if we can head off those costs it puts the industry on a much more competitive footing.