The southeastern Manitoba hog farm confirmed Feb. 14 with porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) remains the province’s only case, as none of 45 other farms known to have had contact with the infected property have turned up any signs of the virus.
But with no new Manitoba cases yet in sight, provincial officials now ask: How did the virus get to Manitoba’s “hog alley” in the first place?
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced Feb. 18 that live PED virus, capable of infecting pigs, has been found in samples of a shipment of porcine plasma-based feed ingredients, sourced from the U.S.
CFIA is still testing the processed feed for infectiveness, however, and hasn’t yet ruled the hog feed in or out as a source of PEDv.
And while spray-dried porcine plasma was indeed used in feed on the PEDv-positive southeastern Manitoba farm, the province’s acting chief veterinary officer, Dr. Glen Duizer, says the farm’s feed is not considered the source of infection.
CLICK HERE for Daniel Winters’ full story from the Feb. 27 issue of the Manitoba Co-operator.
