Canadian pork producers are being encouraged to refocus their biosecurity protocols in light of the spread of African swine fever throughout China.

Jenelle Hamblin, the Manager of Swine Health Programs with Manitoba Pork, encourages farms to review biosecurity with their veterinarians and staff, with an emphasis on overseas travellers.

Jenelle Hamblin explains:

"African swine fever virus is highly contagious and it can be spread to pigs both directly between animals and indirectly.

"The disease can be spread directly through contact with blood, saliva, urine, faeces, and indirectly being that it is extremely hardy and can live for long periods of time in a variety of places. The virus can survive in swine products, in the environment, on items such as farm equipment, clothing, shoes or in livestock feed that has been in contact with any infected pig or the virus.

"It has also been found to spread through tick bites in the wild boar populations to domesticated animals. In fact, this is thought to be the primary mode of infection within Africa.

"Our Manitoba pig farmers have really stepped up their biosecurity practices over the past few years in order to successfully bio-contain and work toward eliminating PEDv.

"The biosecurity protocols that are now in place here in response to PED will also help protect us against many other potential pathogens.

"We're always looking for additional measures that we can take to prevent diseases from affecting our production but also our ability to provide safe and sustainable food for consumers here in Manitoba and around the world."

Hamblin says Manitoba Pork's main concern is keeping swine herds healthy and keeping producers and sector stakeholders aware of what's going on in China.

As reported by Bruce Cochrane, Farmscape.Ca