Two more hog operations in Quebec’s Monteregie — a nursery operation and a finishing barn — have been confirmed infected with porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED).
Quebec’s provincial swine health team (EQSP) announced Wednesday that the two new cases — both in the St-Denis-sur-Richelieu area, about 25 km northwest of St-Hyacinthe — are “epidemiologically linked” to the province’s previous case, a nursery site confirmed Dec. 31.
The two nursery sites, which combined include about 7,200 pigs, were confirmed Dec. 31 and Monday as PED-infected, following lab analysis of oral fluids.
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EQSP said the two nursery sites, which are adjacent and owned by the same farmer, have separate municipal addresses and are thus considered separate cases, bringing Quebec’s total to five since the virus first appeared in Canada last spring.
The fifth case — an infected finishing operation, confirmed Tuesday through fecal samples — is also connected to the nursery barns and includes about 1,700 hogs, EQSP said Wednesday.
Officials said the farm operators are fully co-operating, the operations are now under quarantine and “enhanced biosecurity” is now in effect at the sites.
All hogs involved in the new cases were sourced from a single farrowing operation in Ontario, which according to EQSP is not showing any clinical signs of PED.
EQSP this week also noted four truckloads of hogs from Quebec’s second PED-infected farm — a finishing operation in the Monteregie, confirmed Nov. 6 — were shipped to a Quebec slaughter plant Dec. 19 and 20.
PCR swab testing on the four trailers turned up one PED-positive trailer, EQSP said.
The latest confirmations bring Canada’s total of on-farm PEDv infections in hogs to 79 since the virus was first confirmed in southern Ontario last January, including 69 in Ontario, four in Manitoba and one in Prince Edward Island.
“Don’t let it in”
In their separate PED update Wednesday, officials with Alberta Pork said the “flurry” of new Quebec cases “underscores the critical importance of maintaining proper biosecurity” and that hog farmers “should treat all high pig-traffic sites and vehicles as potentially contaminated” with PED and/or swine deltacoronavirus (SDCV).
“Producers must work closely with their livestock hauler to ensure all trucks are cleaned, disinfected and dried every time before entering a farm,” the Alberta officials wrote.
“If any truck tries to enter your farm that has not been cleaned, don’t let it in. It poses a serious risk for bringing PED or SDCV onto your farm and into your barn.”
Cleaning and disinfecting of load-out areas, and clean boots and clothing for all barn visitors, should also be “strictly enforced,” Alberta Pork added. — AGCanada.com Network
