Seasonal flu shots are recommended to help limit spread of flu viruses between people and livestock. (Inside Creative House/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Another swine flu variant case appears in Manitoba

Variant of H3N2 confirmed in southern Manitoba resident

A single and apparently isolated case of another influenza variant normally seen in hogs has turned up in a Manitoba resident, the province announced Monday. Manitoba Public Health on Monday said the H3N2 influenza variant (H3N2v) seen in this case is related to flu viruses that circulate in pigs, noting that while such viruses don’t […] Read more

Swine Health Ontario and veterinarians are encouraging pork producers to participate in the surveillance program ARC&E, to help the industry with containing PRRSV and and other diseases should they arise.

Getting proactive with PRRS

Ontario’s swine industry looks to collaborate on better diagnostics, surveillance to mitigate

A highly virulent strain of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus (PRRSV) has renewed focus on the importance of disease surveillance and vaccination programs in the province.  Swine Health Ontario (SHO), along with the Ontario Pork Industry Council and Ontario Pork, recently held a webinar for producers and industry to highlight veterinary and producer experiences […] Read more

Wild pigs could be an uncontrollable factor if ever infected with African swine fever.

Canada, U.S. agree on plan if African swine fever infects wild pigs

Zoning would keep other parts of the North American hog market functioning

Glacier FarmMedia – Wild pigs are a worry in Canada and the United States for reasons beyond the damage they do to farms, pasture land and ecosystems. They could be an uncontrollable factor if ever infected with African swine fever. Why it matters: African swine fever has devastating effects on swine herds, as shown in […] Read more

Researchers have found more healthier piglets in a system which allows the piglets to roam and choose which sow they want to nurse.

Hog trends and innovations

Researchers are challenging some long-held assumptions of pig management

This looks like it will be a good summer to be a hog farmer, as an unexpected drop in sows in the United States is driving up hog prices. Other commodities have been rising in value over the past eight months and it looks like hog farmers will get some of that momentum. Why it […] Read more

The cattle herd in Eastern Canada grew slightly to 2.9 million head in 2020.

Eastern Canada cattle herd grows

National cattle herd size drops, part of a decline happening since 2005

Glacier FarmMedia – Eastern Canada saw a slightly larger cattle herd in 2020 compared to 2019 but nationally there were fewer cattle and sheep and slightly more hogs. Statistics Canada released its livestock 2020 inventory March 1, showing a one per cent decline in the national cattle herd, totalling 11.2 million animals, and a two […] Read more


Farmers like Mike Patterson of Kenyon, Minnesota, would be devastated if an outbreak was to occur in the United States.

Early control would ease ASF damage in U.S.

Officials predict costs of an outbreak could be reduced to $15 billion from $50 billion if it was controlled within two years

Glacier FarmMedia – African swine fever could become endemic in the United States if it arrives in North America. Paul Sundberg of the Ames, Iowa-based Swine Health Information Centre said the virus is a looming threat that could cost the American pork industry $50 billion over 10 years. Why it matters: The American and Canadian […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Canada’s year-end cattle herd continues shrinking

Slaughter beat pre-pandemic pace in second half, StatsCan says

Year-over-year contraction continued for Canada’s cattle herd at the start of 2021, while newborn piglet counts kept Canada’s hog herd on the rise during the same period, according to Statistics Canada. StatsCan on Monday reported 11.2 million cattle on Canadian farms at Jan, 1, 2021 — down one per cent from the year-earlier date and […] Read more

(Shadowinternet/E+/Getty Images)

Canada’s active PED case count dwindling

Affected Manitoba farms now all presumptive-negative

The number of active outbreaks of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) on hog farms in Canada has shrunk to a few in Eastern Canada, with affected sites elsewhere now believed negative for the disease. Manitoba Pork announced Wednesday that the last of the premises to report a PED outbreak in that province in 2020 has now […] Read more


File photo of hogs in transit near Red Deer, Alta. (Stefonlinton/iStock/Getty Images)

Olymel shipping backlogged hogs to U.S.

Company-owned hogs to go south after COVID closes Red Deer plant

Winnipeg | Reuters — Olymel said Friday it was shipping pigs to the United States to help clear a backlog of hogs after it had to temporarily close its Red Deer, Alta. slaughter plant because of a coronavirus outbreak. Olymel shut the plant on Wednesday and declared force majeure — unforeseeable circumstances that prevent contract […] Read more

Individual sheep can spread footrot to others when conditions are right.

Managing footrot needs a whole-flock effort

Isolation of infected animals is key to managing hoof health issues

Footrot continues to be a concern for sheep producers across the province.  The virus’s ability to survive in warm and wet conditions, and on the hoof of previously infected sheep for many years, makes it a difficult disease to control.  “Mud and manure (help) to cause abrasions to the skin to help the infection get […] Read more