The Executive director of the Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative says efforts to contain PEDv are also reducing the threat posed by other infections.
"Manure Application and PEDv, a Risk to be Managed" will be discussed Wednesday as part of Prairie Livestock Expo in Winnipeg.
John Carney, the executive director of the Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative says PEDv has increased the focus of manure applicators on planning jobs, on training staff and on communicating with customers and they've stepped up their adherence to biosecurity.
John Carney-Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative:
I think from the point of view of the pork producer, they obviously own biosecurity on their farm.
Biosecurity starts at the farm gate and they've really stepped up to the plate in terms of becoming even more vigilant in making sure that people coming onto their site, whether it's employees or visitors or commercial traffic are aware of and complying with all of the biosecurity requirements of the site.
We're seeing the same with applicators of course in terms of training their staff and purchasing additional washing equipment, more time for sanitation of equipment between sites.
There's really been a step change I would say across the whole industry in strengthening existing biosecurity procedures.
Carney says, strengthening our biosecurity to deal with PED also provides a firewall for hog barns in fighting off other diseases as well.
He says this isn't just about PED and it's not even just about the diseases we know of today in North America because we're aware that there are other diseases overseas that haven't got here but could, so biosecurity is our first and strongest defense to stop that from happening.
Source: Farmscape