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Oink, eh-S-F

Oink, eh-S-F

How Canada has taken precautions to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever—from entering, and should it appear, from spreading in their countries.

By Andrew Joseph; Photo Credit: DarcyMaulsby/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo

Even as the world slogs through the pandemic of Covid-19, and the poultry sector sees surges of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus, the global pig industry in many countries has already faced the onslaught of the deadly African Swine Fever (ASF), as most of the western hemisphere prepares to keep it out.

The most recent flurry of ASF has been on the radar for four years - a virus that causes a hemorrhagic fever with quick and high mortality rates in domestic pigs.

Having spread through China, Mongolia, Vietnam, parts of the European Union and now closer to home in the Dominion Republic and Haiti, it is the first time ASF has been detected in the western hemisphere in 40-plus years.

It has not yet reached the Canada or United States - there has never been a confirmed case in North America - and both countries are deeply vested in keeping it that way...

To read the Full Article as it appeared in our Benchmark swine magazine, click HERE.


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How the PRRS-resistant pig provides innovation and impact for farmers – full-length film

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What is the real-world impact of innovations like the PRRS-resistant pig for producers, scientists and the entire pork industry? For the Chinn family, sixth generation hog farmers in Missouri, who have dealt with devastating PRRS breaks before, the possibility of eliminating PRRS means the promise of passing the farm down to the next generation. For university researchers like Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam at UC Davis, it means scientists could use genetics to precisely decrease animal disease. And for consumers, it means the pork on your plate is no different, except for its resistance to disease.