By Bruce Cochrane
A Red Deer Swine Veterinarian says a planned change in washing requirements for trucks re-entering Canada from the U.S. will increase the risk of PEDv entering western Canada.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulations require trucks and trailers that visit a U.S. swine farm to be disinfected in the U.S. prior to re-entering Canada. However, an exemption introduced in Manitoba in 2014 to reduce the risk of spreading PED, allows vehicles to be sealed at the border and taken to a certified truck wash in Manitoba.
That exemption will end October 1.
Dr. Kurt Preugschas, with Innovative Veterinary Services, told Alberta Pork's monthly PED update Friday cleaning trucks in the U.S. to prevent disease from entering Canada sounds good in theory but in practice, the policy difficult to apply consistently to the standard we are used to in western Canada.
Kurt Preugschas-Innovative Veterinary Services:
Dr. Leigh Rosengren published a report for Manitoba Pork Council in March outlining and comparing the risks in commercial U.S. truck washes in the upper mid-west versus western Canada.
3 of her key findings were, there are insufficient American facilities located on major transportation routes with available capacity to realistically enforce the current CFIA regulations. There are very few facilities with the infrastructure required to offer the industry minimum standard for a wash, disinfect and dry of a live hog transport vehicle following a high risk movement, and number 3 the disease risk posed to the Canadian swine industry from cleaning and disinfecting at a non Canadian facility is unjustifiable.
In other words, there is significantly higher risk that PED virus or any other disease, PRRS or swine dysentery will be brought into Canada as a consequence.
Dr. Preugschas says the policy change will mean an increased risk of PED or increased costs to re-wash trucks in Canada.
Source: Farmscape