The Manager of Swine Health with Manitoba Pork says, despite declining case numbers, continued strict biosecurity remains key to containing the province’s most recent Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea outbreak.
Since October 64 cases of PED have been confirmed in Manitoba.
Jenelle Hamblin, the Manager of Swine Health with Manitoba Pork, says case numbers have been similar to previous outbreaks with majority reported in the typical high-risk areas in southeastern Manitoba but a few cases have popped up west of Highway 75.
We are following a very similar outbreak pattern as compared to 2017 and 2019. Again, as of right now, and I say this with a bit of a caveat that things do tend to change quickly but we seem to be on the downward trend for case numbers in these last few weeks which is encouraging. However, that does not mean that we are in a position to let down our guard.
I think that the biggest message is to please don’t take our feet off the gas when it comes to biosecurity. We do still see high risk out there. When visiting a high traffic facility, an assembly yard, an abattoir, no matter which one it may be that you visit, please know that there is risk there and proper biosecurity not only on farm but in transit and transport biosecurity related to cleaning, washing and disinfecting as well as baking of our trailers is really an effective way to reduce our risk.
Also feel free to reach out to MPC or with your herd vet to talk about biosecurity. If there are specific questions that you may have or techniques or strategies that you’d like to try out on your farm based on your individual flow and design of your system.
~ Jenelle Hamblin, Manitoba Pork
Hamblin acknowledges cleaning and disinfection is more of a challenge in the winter months and the cold weather has presented issues with disinfectant contact time.
