A delegation representing Manitoba Pork visited Guelph last week where members took part in Ontario Pork's 2017 Annual General Meeting.

George Matheson, the Chair of Manitoba Pork, says swine health and how we keep on top of new diseases as well as existing diseases that could expand or increase in severity is a top of mind issue among pork producers and swine veterinarians across Canada.

George Matheson-Manitoba Pork

It's a situation of the diseases that we've had to deal with in the past.

In Canada we're focusing on, most recently, the dreaded PED virus and also PRRS which is a chronic disease affecting reproduction and respiratory pig systems.

It's something we want to make sure we're on top of in regards to knowing where areas are that have prevalences of these diseases, trying to contain them, making sure the veterinarians have a network of communication so that they're communicating with each other to advise them on new emerging disease cases, passing that on to producers and transporters, the feed industry so that all people are aware that biosecurity is always necessary but there will be some areas that we have to deal with more cautiously geographically.

Mr Matheson says there is a recognition of the importance of keeping on top of these emerging or expanding disease threats so producers and veterinarians will know where the hot spots are in any given area so any threat they may pose can be contained as best as possible.