Research is underway to determine for sure whether piglets can be infected from
feed that contains blood plasma gathered at packing plants and used as a feed
ingredient.
Grand Valley used spray-died blood plasma from a U.S.
supplier where the virus has spread to several thousand farms.
The company says suspicions about its role in spreading the virus
first arose Jan 31 and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food gathered 50
swabs from its delivery trucks. All were clean and the company says that
confirmed its biosecurity protocols for the trucks were working.
But then a researcher at the Kansas State University
speculated it could be spreading in feed and under prompting from Dr. Doug
McDougald of Southwest Ontario Veterinary Services OMAF’s epidemiological team
gathered 70 samples of Grand Valley’s pelleted feed and six blood plasma
samples. Five of the six blood plasma samples contained PEDv genetic material –
i.e. RNA.
Three of the feed samples were positive for the virus RNA.
While that’s not conclusive evidence it could cause the
disease, Grand Valley began a recall right after learning the test results
Saturday, Feb. 8.
The company warned all of its customers that it would be
risky to feed any of the rations made since Jan. 1.
Grand Valley appended a copy of the Canadian Food Inspection
advisory on the issue to its own statement.
Nutreco has also stopped using blood plasma in hog feeds
made and marketed by its Shur Gain and Landmark mills.
