Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

PED and Pig Feed Connection

Swine Feed Identified as a ‘Potential Vector’ for Spreading Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

Amid the growing spread of the pig-killing virus, known as porcine epidemic diarrhea or PED, new information has become available which indicates that the virus may also be spread through pig feed. Until now, it was believed that the virus could only be transmitted through hog manure or from pig to pig.

On February 9, Dr. Steve Dritz from Kansas State University (KSU) posted a statement on KSU’s website.

 “The magnitude of risk that swine feed can be a potential vector for porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus transmission is currently unknown,” the notice said. “We believe that further investigation is urgently needed to define the relative risk of feed or feed ingredients for transmission of PED virus.”

Swine feed that contains porcine origin blood plasma is the concern. It’s a relatively new feed ingredient used as a protein source for early-weaned pigs. The product is produced by American Protein Corporation, which is headquartered in Ames, Iowa.

Dried plasma comes from pigs and is used as an ingredient in some pig starter, also known as creep feed. The feed is given to piglets while still on their mother (sow), or in the first days of post weaning.

With the new information about feed possibly causing the spread of PED, an Ontario feed company is taking precautions to protect its consumers. Grand Valley Fortifiers, based in Cambridge, Ont., is asking its customers to stop feeding products that contain porcine origin blood plasma.

The products include the following (sold from the date Jan. 1at 2014 forward):

  • Bionic®
  • BioForce®
  • BioPrime® nursery feeds (Phases 1 - 4)

Grand Valley Fortifiers said it is recalling all these feed products in question and will credit farmers if they’ve bought the feed products.

The company has stopped selling feeds that contain animal by-products (dried plasma), and moved to handling a new line of nursery feeds, under the brand name Natures Blend.

Since last spring, the United States has been dealing with PED, which has infected over 2,000 hog farms in 22 different states, killing millions of pigs.  Since then, it has also spread to Canada, with the first case being identified Jan. 22 on a farm in Middlesex County. There are now eleven confirmed cases in Ontario.

PED is almost 100 percent fatal for piglets, while older animals typically recover from the virus.  The virus does not pose a risk to human health, and is not a food safety concern. Pork producers are encouraged to continue and maintain strict biosecurity protocols to mitigate the spread.


Trending Video

Funds Ditch Ag Commodities, Chase Stocks Amid an End to Middle East War, & Trade Deal Buzz

Video: Funds Ditch Ag Commodities, Chase Stocks Amid an End to Middle East War, & Trade Deal Buzz


The 12-day war between Iran-Israel came to an end sending crude oil futures plunging as the big fund speculators removed the war risk premium.

The weather risk premium in the Ag complex is sending corn, wheat and soybean futures lower on month-end selling ahead of the market moving USDA quarterly grain stocks and acreage reports on June 30th.

Instead, funds were chasing and sending tech stocks higher with the S&P 500/NASDAQ indexes setting new all-time record highs!

June 1 USDA Hogs and pigs report was slightly bearish while the U.S. $ Index traded to new contract lows as the de-dollarization that began in 2014 continues.

Feed in the form of soybean meal futures for livestock producers got cheaper, trading to new contract lows.

The Stats Canada seeded acreage update was bullish canola and wheat.