Pork Producers, Veterinarians, and Barn Staff Credited with PED Containment in Manitoba

Sep 01, 2025

Manitoba’s pork industry is celebrating significant progress in the fight against Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED), thanks to the dedication of producers, veterinarians, and barn staff who have worked tirelessly to uphold strict biosecurity standards.

PED, a viral gastrointestinal infection first detected in the U.S. in 2013 and in Manitoba in 2014, has been a recurring challenge for the province. Major outbreaks peaked with 80 cases in 2017, 82 in 2019, and more than 120 cases between 2021–2022. Those events prompted the creation of the Manitoba PED Elimination Plan, a coordinated effort aimed at long-term control and prevention.

According to Jenelle Hamblin, Director of Swine Health with Manitoba Pork, the results of that plan are now clear.

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Video: Assessing Welfare Resources During Late Finish - Dr. Anna Johnson & Emma Coursey

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Anna Johnson from Iowa State University and Emma Coursey from the University of Illinois discuss research evaluating welfare resources during the late finishing stage on commercial swine farms. They explain how feeder management, water use, space allocation, and pig health influence welfare outcomes and practical on-farm management. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Small resource issues can become larger welfare problems when multiple stressors interact across finishing barns."

Meet the guests: Dr. Anna Johnson / anna-johnson-05028a14 is the Morrill Professor of Animal Behavior and Welfare at Iowa State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from Texas Tech University and completed her master's degree in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on practical solutions that improve farm animal welfare, including sow productive lifetime, animal-human interaction, environmental enrichment, and Precision Livestock Farming.

Emma Coursey / emma-coursey-183810241 is pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine after earning a bachelor's degree in Animal Science from Iowa State University. Her academic interests include swine health, production, and animal welfare, with research experience evaluating welfare resources in commercial finishing pigs.