New digital system will strengthen disease prevention across swine farms
Sask Pork has announced a new partnership aimed at strengthening biosecurity and disease prevention across Saskatchewan’s commercial swine sector. Through this collaboration, a digital transport biosecurity system will be made available to all commercial swine farms in the province.
The initiative reflects an ongoing commitment to protecting animal health and supporting the long-term sustainability of pork production.
“We’re pleased to provide this technology to help producers improve biosecurity and protect their herds from disease across Saskatchewan,” said Mark Ferguson, Sask Pork General Manager. “Having real-time truck movement data for swine farms can help protect healthy animals and speed up response time in the event of a disease outbreak.”
The organization represents more than 140 swine farms across Saskatchewan. By offering this technology, it aims to reduce disease risks and improve preparedness in the event of an outbreak. The digital system focuses on monitoring vehicle movements, which are a major pathway for the spread of disease between farms.
“Today’s integrated pork production systems are highly connected by people and vehicles that move frequently between sites,” said Adam Black, Farm Health Guardian Customer Success Rep.
“This means that managing biosecurity and disease risk is even more critical and yet more complex. Farm Health Guardian addresses this challenge by monitoring and digitizing movements between farms to identify risks and respond quickly when issues arise,” said Adam Black.
The technology uses truck GPS tracking and geofencing features to monitor vehicles that enter and leave farm sites. Feed trucks, maintenance vehicles, live animal transport trailers, and delivery vehicles will all be connected through the system.
This creates a shared, real-time view of movement across farms. Vehicles without existing GPS equipment can install approved devices to join the network.
Modern pork production involves frequent movement of people and vehicles between locations. While this improves efficiency, it also increases biosecurity risks. Digitally tracking these movements helps identify high-risk patterns and supports faster decision‑making if health concerns arise.
Saskatchewan exports nearly 80 percent of the hogs produced in the province. Maintaining strong disease surveillance systems is essential for meeting international trade requirements. Importing countries increasingly expect proof that producers can detect, trace, and control animal diseases quickly and effectively.
The new digital tool supports these expectations by improving traceability and response speed. It also helps demonstrate that producers are following strong biosecurity practices, which is critical for future market access.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-seastock