DES MOINES, Iowa — Producers who start seeing lots of diarrhea in their herds should call the vet.
That was the main advice at porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) sessions presented to rooms packed with pig producers at the World Pork Expo.
The disease, which is hard to tell apart from transmissible gastroenteritis, still contains many mysteries and can be devastating. Death rates can approach 100 percent among newborn piglets.
“Get the veterinarian out on the farm right away,” said veterinarian Dr. Paul Sundberg of the U.S. National Pork Board.
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“There can be very high mortality in young pigs.”
Sundberg said in an interview that PEDV had not yet been found in Canada, but the disease appears to be extremely contagious and Canadian farmers should watch closely. There is extensive hog truck traffic between the Prairies and the U.S. Midwest, and the disease has been found from Ohio to Colorado.
PEDV was first seen in England and has broken out in Europe and Asia. China is now dealing with an outbreak.
No one has been able to stop PEDV spreading wherever it has broken out, but Dr. Jon Bergstrom said he and other hog veterinarians hope the North American industry will have better success because of the general segregation of farrowing and feeding operations. Breaks in the chain might help corral the disease.
“Can we contain and eliminate this virus,” said Bergstrom.
“Is that possible?”
Dr. Harry Snelson told farmers he’s optimistic the outbreak can be controlled if hog transportation and other obvious risk factors are carefully controlled now.
“There’s a good chance we can contain it, can eliminate it,” said Snelson.
Death rates are high in baby pigs but low in older feeder pigs and sows. The disease usually just puts pigs off feed for a few days until they recover.
