The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a statement
confirming that blood plasma Grand Valley Fortifiers bought from a supplier in
the United States has tested positive for Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus and it could cause the disease.
The CFIA is conducting further testing, but Grand Valley has
already recalled all the
nursery-pig rations it sold since Jan. 1.
The feed angle may explain why there have been so many
recent outbreaks across a wide geographic area of Ontario where there was
unlikely to have been direct livestock-trucking or human contact between the
farms.
There has also been one case reported recently in Prince
Edward Island.
Landmark Feeds, owned by Nutreco, said it is taking greater
precautions with nursery-pig rations and will not be using spray-dried blood
plasma gathered from hog-packing plants. There has been one PEDv case in Manitoba.
Nutreco also owns Shur Gain which in Eastern Canada.
The CFIA said
it is “working closely with Grand Valley Fortifiers to confirm the
effectiveness of the recall, and is closely examining company records to see
where potentially affected product was distributed.
“The CFIA
is also reviewing records of other imports of swine plasma and will work with
the Council of Chief Veterinary Officers and the pork industry in Canada to
proactively manage the possible risk of transmission through feed,” the
statement on the CFIA website says.
“As the
investigation continues, additional actions such as recalls may be necessary to
minimize the potential that feed could contribute to the transmission of this
disease in Canada.”
