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Take Necessary Precautions Hauling Manure

The presence of the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) in South Dakota and region requires producers, manure haulers and land owners to cooperatively work together to reduce the risk of disease spread during the manure application season, explained Erin Cortus, Assistant Professor & SDSU Extension Environmental Quality Engineer.

"Biosecurity measures during the manure hauling season are not new to pork producers, but it never hurts to take a fresh look at procedures on your operation, especially in light of new and ongoing research," said Cortus. "Heat and time combinations can deactivate the virus, and limiting exposure can help reduce the risk of spreading this virus."

What research says

Ongoing research by Dr. S Goyal at University of Minnesota titled Environmental stability of PEDv has shown PEDv can survive in slurry for 14 days at room temperature, which is 77 degrees Fahrenheit. At storage temperatures of -4 degrees Fahrenheit and 39 degrees Fahrenheit, the virus was still alive after 28 days.

Fresh fecal material stored at temperatures of 104 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity between 30 percent and 70 percent survived for up to seven days. A deactivation period of seven days at room temperature was also measured by Iowa State University Researchers.

Another separate study titled, Evaluation of time and temperature sufficient to kill PEDv in swine feces on metal surfaces, provides more research data to work with.

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The Hunt for New Life: Fall Calving at Pride Ranch Episode 1

Video: The Hunt for New Life: Fall Calving at Pride Ranch Episode 1

Fall calving season is officially underway here at Pride Ranch. Today I’m walking the pastures, checking udders, watching behavior, and hoping to find the first newborn of the season. Some cows look close… others are still holding out.

That’s ranch life. A lot of patience. A lot of walking. And sometimes, no calves when you expect them.

In this episode:

• Pasture checks and cow behavior

• Signs a calf is getting close

• Where cows like to hide newborns

• The first official hunt of the season