Porcine epidemic diarrhea | While Canada has successfully managed the virus so far, fall brings increased risk of infection
TORONTO — The porcine epidemic diarrhea virus can travel on its own in the air for 15 kilometres, but human transport is the more likely carrier.
Manure application companies and trucks that deliver feed and haul hogs to market can carry the potentially fatal disease from farm to farm.
“Transportation is a high risk for us,” said Ontario veterinarian Cathy Templeton.
She has 1,250 sows on her farm and has seen cases first hand in her practice.
Ontario has had 63 positive sites, and the disease has been contained this summer. Manitoba has reported three new cases within the last two weeks.
Read Also
Sask. ag group wants strychnine back
The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan has written to the federal government asking for emergency use of strychnine to control gophers
“We have so far managed to largely keep it out. We are more at risk this fall,” she told a Canadian Meat Council food safety symposium in Toronto Oct. 2.
A keener focus on PED in the last 12 months has also brought a reduction in salmonella and PRRS because veterinarians are testing more and people are carefully following biosecurity measures.
Diligent sanitation is the key, starting with correct truck washing.
In Europe, truck washing is mandatory before vehicles leave abattoirs. Canada may have to follow that protocol.
“We may need to consider that as trade opens between our country and the EU,” Templeton said.
Ontario does not have enough truck washing facilities, she added.
Many Ontario transport companies operate truck wash systems, but they are not close to slaughter plants.
Templeton said that even if more stations were built, they would not be ready for this PED season.
She also said she has noticed that rules and regulations are being interpreted and enforced differently across the country.
The bottom line is that truckers need to know how to wash a vehicle and trailer properly.
Two people need two hours to wash a truck and trailer.
A proper wash takes 6,000 litres of hot water and cleans trucks front to back to remove all organic material. Disinfectant must be applied to a clean surface, and the vehicles must dry properly.
Vehicles need to be inspected by people other than wash bay staff. Swabbing may be done to see what is left after cleaning.
Mark Fynn of Manitoba Pork said the process needs to be repeated if the truck still has visible signs of manure.
“We can’t take a half-assed approach to washing these trailers,” he said in a conference call Oct. 3.
Farmers also need to get stricter about who enters their property.
Service providers such as feed deliveries, meter readers, semen deliveries, garbage collectors and dead animal pickup should call before coming and should tell the farmer where they have been.
They should stay out if it is not necessary to enter the yard.
Fynn suggested setting up a collection point at the end of the driveway.
Those coming on the farm must wear disposable boots so they do not bring in infection or take it elsewhere. Manure poses a major threat, and many farms use custom applicators to remove it.
However, more producers are providing their own liquid manure agitators, pumps and hoses which stay on the farm, said John Carney, executive director of the Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative.
A recent survey found companies have changed their practices be-cause of the seriousness of PED by providing more education for employees and more communication with farmers and stepping up biosecurity practices.
“We are seeing a lot more time and consideration going into planning the route that the manure applicator, equipment and staff are going to follow before coming to the site,” Carney said.
That plan includes finding an alternate farmgate.
Most farms have only one entrance, which makes it difficult to avoid other farm traffic such as employee vehicles, hog trucks, feed deliveries and service people all using the same driveway.
Carney said farms need separate entrances to the lagoon and a clearly marked line of separation where they may not pass in the farmyard.
Farmers could consider marking this with yellow tape or pylons so that operators can see where they may not go.
