Biosecurity Key to Keeping Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Under Control

Jan 18, 2021

The Chair of Manitoba Pork says focussing on biosecurity remains key to keeping the number of cases of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea low in Manitoba. Since mid-February 2014, when Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea was first identified in Manitoba, stakeholders within the province's Pork sector have been working to control the infection.

George Matheson, the Chair of Manitoba Pork, says stakeholders have been encouraged to maintain their focus on biosecurity and their efforts were rewarded last year with a dramatic reduction in the number of cases.

Clip-George Matheson-Manitoba Pork:

We've had a big problem with PED virus in the province over quite a few years now, diarrhea in young pigs which has been devastating to some producers. In 2019 we had over 80 cases in the province.

In 2020 we brought that all the way down to; I believe there's one positive barn right now in Manitoba so that was very much a good news story for us. We continue to ask producers to really focus on biosecurity, not just producers, the assembly yards, the transporters, all people involved in the industry.

Groups that have provided assistance such as Manitoba Pork Council staff members, veterinarians in Manitoba, the CVO (Chief Veterinary Office) in the province, transporters, all of these people have gone above and beyond to make sure that disease transfer is kept to a minimum and that has really reaped positive results.

Source : Farmscape

Video: Food Inflation and Pork Demand - Dr. Sylvain Charlebois

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Professor and Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, discusses how food inflation is reshaping Canadian protein demand. He explains why pork remains competitively priced, consumer behavior, and why transparency, AI-assisted shopping, and protein demand will matter in the years ahead. Listen now on all major platforms!

"The potential of pork is there. We just need to see the product assume that role and take it away because all the elements are there."

Meet the guest: Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in Dalhousie University's Faculty of Management and Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab. His research focuses on food distribution, food policy, food safety, food security, and traceability. Dr. Charlebois has written four books and more than 500 peer-reviewed and scientific articles. He holds a BComm from the Royal Military College, an MBA from UQAM, and a DBA from the University of Sherbrooke. Learn more from Dr. Sylvain Charlebois on The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, available on all major platforms.