Starting in 2015, Senecavirus A (SVA) has caused intermittent complications with respect to the export of Canadian cull animals to the United States. This disease resembles reportable swine vesicular diseases. This is a national issue and since June 2025 has impacted Ontario cull sow movements.
In July 2025, the APHIS and the USDA removed the export eligibility status for a cull sow assembly in Ontario due to SVA lesions being seen in cull sows sent to a USDA processing facility. These lesions initiated foreign animal disease investigations at this US processing plant. The suspect animal(s) were initially quarantined for individual inspection and further testing. Since the initial site, another 2 Ontario cull sow assembly sites have also had their export eligibility status revoked by APHIS and the USDA for similar reasons. The affected assembly sites accept cull sows from Quebec, the Maritimes and Ontario. Each affected assembly site must action the USDA requirements including emptying each assembly site so that it can be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before each affected site could regain their export status. The assembly site operators are working closely with veterinarians to develop the required SOP’s, and to begin actioning the USDA listed requirements. This export disruption will have the potential to create significant effects on the eastern Canadian cull sow system. While the process is started, it is expected to take an undetermined amount of time to action all of the USDA requirements. Similar export issues, related to SVA, have arisen previously in western Canada. It is important to continue inter-provincial industry collaboration on this issue.
Producers and veterinarians involved in export inspections, need to be diligent in checking all animals for SVA type lesions including blisters, ulcers on the snout, ears, face, on the coronary band or between the claws on the feet before shipping them for slaughter, cull markets and or directly for export to the USA.
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