The Ontario Pork marketing board has issued an alert to members to take stiffer biosecurity precautions because the risk of Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PED) infections has increased.
It is also warning that Senacavirus A has been identified at a private assembly yard and at a related sow barn and nursery barn in Quebec and virus elimination plans are underway.
In an advisory to members, the board said “active cases of PDCOV and PED have risen sharply in Ontario. All producers and their business partners visiting the farm are strongly encouraged to increase biosecurity vigilance, particularly as we approach planting season where risk of transmission through manure movement is increased.
“Report all potential cases to your veterinarian as soon as possible.”
It is also reminding transporters of proper disease prevention protocols.
Pigs need a clean ride, it said.
Genetic stock is the highest priority, weanling and feeder pigs are the next highest priority.
The barns you load out from must be protected and the barns receiving these pigs need them to come in clean.
Dirty places are DIRTY places. Cull assembly yards are the highest risk to any trailer. All processing plants are also high risk. Any shavings or manure present at the end of a loading chute at any location should be assumed to carry disease.
Know what pigs were on your trailer. If you have been hauling shedding pigs (e.g. pigs from known outbreak herds or cull pigs from assembly yards), these trailers are covered with infectious virus. These trailers must have a very detailed wash, disinfect and dry.
Transportation also includes the tractor. Detailing the power unit is very important. Cases have been found where the trailer was clean and the virus came from a contaminated power unit.
Wash your wash bay. If contaminated trailers are washed, the result is often a contaminated wash bay. You can reduce contamination of your wash bay by scraping known positive trailers offsite at a designated spot, then soaking the trailer prior to washing with a disinfectant such as Synergize or Prevail.
