Heightened biosecurity measures are a feed mill’s first line of defense in fighting against the spread of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus.

The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed that, contrary to earlier reports, pig blood products such as dried plasma are not a likely source of infectious porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus, provided that good manufacturing practices and biosecurity standards are followed.

Encouraging new research from Pipestone Veterinary Services appears in BMC Veterinary Researchwhich suggests it may be possible to secure feed against the deadly porcineepidemic diarrhea virus. 

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) released a statement regarding research on porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus.

The National Grain and Feed Foundation (NGFF) has contributed $60,000 to the National Pork Board (NPB) to be used to pursue research on the porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus that has infected swine herds in the United States.The virus has infected and killed millions of young pigs on farms of all sizes in 29 states since May 2013, as well as in four Canadian provinces since January 2014.

With more questions than answers regarding the feed industry’s role where the PED virus is concerned, what can feed mills do to protect their customers? Here is a collection of the actions every feed mill can take before an official guidance is issued.

In response to the feed industry’s demand for more PED virus information, AFIA dedicated a number of sessions to the disease at its annual Purchasing & Ingredient Suppliers Conference (PISC). During her presentation, “Biosecurity, protecting the feed ingredient supply chain and what you need to know,” Dr. Marty Vanier, director of operations for Kansas State University’s National and Cultural Biosecurity Center, offered an overview of the biosecurity challenges facing U.S. agriculture.

As the firstanniversary of confirmation of the porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus in theUnited States nears, the National Pork Board continues to build an arsenal ofinformation based on its nearly $2 million in Pork Checkoff-funded researchfunded to date. This work will be aided by a decision by Cargill’s animal nutritionand pork businesses to donate $150,000 for additional PED virus researchdirected by the National Pork Board. 

Hog producers should not feed blood plasma products untilthere is concrete evidence that there is no connection between feeding plasmaproducts and the spread of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus, veterinarianssaid during PED virus conference call. The conference call was sponsored byAlberta Pork. 

More than 60 people representing the U.S. and Canadian pork,feed and other allied industries recently participated in a meeting on the porcineepidemic diarrhea (PED) virus hosted by the National Pork Board, and in collaborationwith the National Pork Producers Council, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians,the American Feed Industry Association, the National Grain and Feed Association,the National Renderers Association and the North American Spray Dried Blood andPlasma Producers, in Des Moines, Iowa. Although the disease does not affect humansor pork safety, it has infected and killed millions of young pigs on farms of allsizes in 27 states since May 2013 and in four Canadian provinces since January.