PED Virus Takes Emotional Toll On Producers

The Province of Ontario now has 76 confirmed cases of the porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus.

 

The latest case was confirmed February 20th on a farrow-to-finish farm in Oxford County.

 

Dr. Sue Burlatshenko was one of the first veterinarians to deal with the disease when it emerged in Ontario in early 2014.

 

She says the disease can have an emotional impact on hog producers.

 

"It's hard on them, we care for our animals," said Burlatshenko. "They took it very personally. We would talk a lot on the phone and it's actually almost like a mutual support system. Talking is good, telling them 'you're going to get over it' and you get to the 4 to 5 week period and the light at the end of the tunnel's there and it becomes better again. Just being there is important, all of us - not just vets, but other producers, the industry."

 

There have been five on-farm confirmed cases of the PED virus here in Manitoba.

 

Video: CEOs of the Industry – International Edition Michael Agerley | Partner, IQinAbox

In this CEOs of the Industry – International Edition, we sit down with Michael Agerley, Partner at IQinAbox, to explore how data is reshaping the future of pig production.

After more than 20 years as a veterinarian, Michael shares his unique perspective on the shift from hands-on animal care to data-driven decision making across the pork value chain.

We dive into:

• How better data is improving real on-farm decisions

• The biggest opportunities still untapped in pig production

• How Europe is leading (and where it’s still lagging) in tech adoption

• The role of AI and smart systems in the next 5–10 years

• Why trust, leadership, and practical application matter more than ever

This conversation bridges veterinary insight, technology, and real-world farming, offering a clear look at where the industry is headed—and what it will take to get there.