OPIC fingers PED sources

The Ontario Pork Industry Council fingers two sources for most of the 45 barns that have been hit with outbreaks of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus.

One source is infected blood plasma imported from the United States and used by Grand Valley Fortifiers of Cambridge to make nursery-pig rations.

The other is infected trucks, such as those delivering weaner pigs to finishing barns.

The council also says there are “an estimated 100 sites to be contaminated with planned pig movement.”

Three barns that have had outbreaks have been emptied, cleaned and been repopulated and things are “looking good so far,” the council says.

The majority of finisher barn outbreaks “are linked to market hog transport using dirty trucks,” says the council.

“We encourage industry to focus on farm gate biosecurity and together we will work to limit the number of cases in the next few months and eliminate virus from positive sites during warmer weather.”