Swine Health
The National Swine Farm-Level Biosecurity Standard outlines these practices. These standards are currently being reviewed and updated with a new Canadian Biosecurity Standard to be released soon.
Biosecurity is the practice of preventing pathogens (such as viruses and bacteria) from moving into, out of, or within an area. Biosecurity is broken down into the following three categories:
Biosecurity measures to prevent the introduction of a disease to a farm.
Entering a Farm
Farm personnel or visitors must follow all biosecurity measures when entering a farm. People may transfer disease through their boots, clothes, or body to surfaces or animals.
Controlled Access Zone (CAZ) and Restricted Access Zone (RAZ)
CAZ – Area of land and buildings constituting the animal production area of the premises that is accessible through a controlled access point.
RAZ – An area inside the CAZ that is used to house swine
Danish Entry System
Danish entry systems are used to separate dirty areas from clean areas and should be present at all entrances to the barn (RAZ). Outside footwear must stay in the dirty area; outside clothing must stay in transition (or dirty) area; and barn clothes, towels and footwear stay in the clean area.
There are different protocols that can be used in a successful Danish Entry System including shower in/shower out or the swing over bench.
Shower in/Shower out is the most biosecure method of Danish Entry.
Line of Separation (LOS)
The LOS is the line between an area considered to be “clean” (e.g. your barn) and an area considered to be “dirty” (e.g. a livestock trailer).
Entry Protocols for Visitors
Service providers that move from farm to farm pose a legitimate risk of spreading disease if they do not follow adequate protocols for visiting sites.
On-Site Entry Protocols for Visitors PDF
Feed Delivery
Feed delivery personnel should not enter the barn and should only access the area around the feed bins. Feed trucks should be fully washed and disinfected at least once weekly or immediately following any visits to high-risk sites.
Feed Delivery Protocols for PED Outbreak in Ontario PDF
Transportation
Transporters need to follow strict biosecurity protocols when picking up or delivering pigs, especially at high-traffic sites such as abattoirs and assembly yards.
Practicing Biosecurity When Delivering Swine PDF
Biosecurity measures that occur inside an infected farm to prevent the spread of disease to other sections within the farm.
Cleaning and Disinfection
All areas on-farm including pens, changing room, equipment storage room, and office spaces must be routinely cleaned and disinfected to maintain a pathogen-free environment. The same measures apply to equipment and vehicles used for routine farm operations to avoid disease transmission.
Disinfectants Against Coronaviruses PDF Disinfection in Freezing Temperatures PDF
Biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of a disease from an infected farm to other farms in the area.
Biosecure Deadstock Removal
Locate deadstock bins away from the barns, preferably near a public access road. Make sure farm vehicles/workers do not need to cross the same path as deadstock haulers.
Biosecure Mortality Management for PEDV Control PDF
Biosecure Manure Handling
Manure haulers should have a separate access way at the farm to access the manure storage area, preferably outside the CAZ, so as to avoid crossing the same path as farm vehicles and workers. Farm personnel and equipment need to avoid any direct contact with manure hauling personnel and equipment.
Best Practices for PEDv Manure Management PDF
Standard Feed Delivery Protocols for PED Outbreak in Ontario PDF
The Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) can affect all pigs and is often fatal to newborn pigs under 7 to 10 days of age. However, it does not affect any other species, including humans, and is not a food safety issue. PEDv is primarily transmitted through feces. Clinical signs include excessive scouring, wasting, vomiting and newborn mortality. A high standard of biosecurity is the most effective method for preventing PEDv from arriving on your premises. Scroll down for more information.
Our goal is to eliminate 96% of PED infections from the high-risk area (HRA) of Manitoba by 2027.
In doing so, the overall risk of PED to the Manitoba swine sector will be reduced.
Key Plan Outcomes
- Enhanced biosecurity across the sector
- 50% reduction in cases year over year
- Decreased length of time a farm is infected with PED
- Decreased number of contaminated manure storages over time The PED elimination plan will be regularly evaluated with adjustments made as needed.
Senecavirus A is a vesicular disease in swine that causes symptoms similar to reportable, vesicular diseases, such as Foot and Mouth Disease and Swine Vesicular Disease. Although it is not in itself reportable, because it cannot be visually differentiated from the reportable diseases, it is responded to in a similar manner. Any identification of blisters (vesicles) must be reported to your herd vet.
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a production-limiting, viral disease that affects swine herds globally. There are many strains of PRRS, the most devastating being highly pathogenic PRRS.
The Canadian Swine Health Board’s PRRS Regional Control & Elimination Playbook outlines some of the measures that can be taken in regions affected by PRRS, depending on the status of the region.
Swine Influenza is a respiratory disease in pigs. It is caused by type A influenza viruses of which there are many subtypes including H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2. Swine influenza can cause high levels of illness in pigs though rarely leads to death. Flu season in pigs typically begins in the fall and lasts through the winter months.
Annual flu vaccination for pigs has become common practice in commercial swine herds. Other preventative measures include practicing high levels of biosecurity and quickly segregating and caring for sick animals.
PDCoV – formerly referred to as “swine deltacoronavirus (SDCv)” – belongs to the same viral family as porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) and transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE). The symptoms of PDCoV are indistinguishable from those of PED or TGE, although tend to be less severe than PED. PDCoV damages the lining of the gut in swine, causing diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration. It can cause piglet mortality in severe cases, but not to the same extent as that of PED. PDCoV is not a provincially reportable disease in Manitoba.
First detected in Manitoba in 2019, Streptococcus equi zooepidemicus (Strep zoo) is a bacterial pathogen that has impacted commercial swine herds, assembly, and abattoirs. There are many serotypes of Strep zoo that live normally in animals, never causing disease. However, the strain found in pigs in Manitoba (ST-194) caused severe disease and had devasting impacts. While pigs of all ages are susceptible to Strep zoo, the greatest economic impact is in the sow barn. Practicing good biosecurity is of utmost importance to prevent this terrible bacteria from entering the herd.
PCV3 is an emerging viral disease in swine. The clinical impression of PCV3 has shown neurological disease, reproductive failure, respiratory issues, gastrointestinal issues and porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS).
There is no treatment for PCV3
Foreign Animal Diseases are diseases of great concern for the Canadian swine sector. FADs are federally reportable diseases to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and their identification in Canada would have major market implications.
Examples of Foreign Animals Diseases in swine include:
- Foot and Mouth Disease
- African Swine Fever
- Classical Swine Fever
- Pseudorabies
- Swine Vesicular Disease
- Vesicular stomatitis
African Swine Fever (ASF)
African swine fever is a contagious virus that affects pigs and wild pigs. The disease can spread through direct or indirect contact and often causes high mortality. ASF cannot be transmitted to humans from infected pigs nor can humans contract the disease by eating meat from a pig infected with ASF. While not present in North America, as it spreads around the globe, it poses a significant risk to the health of the Canadian swine herd, the pork industry and the Canadian economy.
Manitoba Integrated Emergency Response Plan – African Swine Fever
Developed in collaboration with Manitoba Agriculture, this Response Plan is intended to be used in the event of an ASF outbreak. The same response structure could be applied to other types of disease outbreaks or emergency events such as floods, fires, or other unpredictable events.
Information outlined in the Plan
- Early Detection & Surveillance
- Emergency Operations Centre Activation
- Outbreak Management & Control
- Welfare Animal Management
- Ongoing Communications
- Financial Considerations
Funding for this project was provided through the African Swine Fever Industry Preparedness Program of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Manitoba pork producers recognize the important of preserving the effectiveness of antimicrobials for both human and animal health, taking a One Health approach. Producers abide by the responsible antimicrobial use and medications policy of the PigSAFE|PigCARE programs. This policy reflects Health Canada regulations and is audited at least annually. Its objectives include:
- Protecting food safety by ensuring the proper use of veterinary products to prevent drug residue in pork.
- Minimizing antimicrobial resistance by encouraging the responsible use of antimicrobials.
- Demonstrating Canadian pork producers’ commitment to antimicrobial stewardship through the sustainable use of antimicrobials.
The policy outlines which products and activities are permitted, such as products approved by Health Canada for use in pigs, and which products and activities are prohibited, such as using antibiotics for growth promotion and using category 1 antibiotics preventatively.
Wild pigs pose a threat to rural Manitoba. They contaminate water sources, damage natural habitats and farm crops, and can spread up to 89 different diseases to commercial and small-scale livestock. Squeal on Pigs Manitoba aims to first control and then eliminate wild pigs in Manitoba.
Squeal on Pigs Manitoba has an active group of staff and field technicians covering all parts of the province. This includes working with landowners and stakeholders, setting up trail cameras and other surveillance tactics, and ultimately trapping and removing wild pigs from the landscape.
For more information on Squeal on Pigs Manitoba click here.