MONROE - Green County 4-H members and UW-Extension staff have taken extra measures to avoid the spread of a devastating porcine virus, especially fatal to young pigs, during their county fair preparations and shows.
Six million young pigs nationwide have died from the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv), first identified in the United States a year ago. More than 4,000 outbreaks have been seen in at least 30 U.S. states as well as Canada. It is now reported to have reached Mexico.
Wisconsin had only 14 positive premises as of April 25, according to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The first Wisconsin case of PEDv was identified in August 2013.
No vaccine against the virus has been developed yet, but the USDA is providing assistance to researchers looking into the disease.
Mark Mayer, Green County University of Wisconsin-Extension agriculture agent, is trying to track the virus' spread through incidental case reports. No cases have been found in Green County, but one case may be as close as 20 miles from the county's borders, he said.
An overall map of Wisconsin cases is not available because case reporting is not yet mandatory, said Zen Miller, UW Extension Swine program team leader. The program team conducts pork quality assurance and site assessments.
For PEDv testing and acceptance into the Green County fair this year, 94 local youths have completed DNA testing and tagging of more than 200 pigs, Mayer said. About 175 hogs are expected to be shown at the fair in July.
The test kits replace the traditional county fair weigh-ins, where hogs may commingle with other pigs and then head back to the farm of origin, exposing other pigs. The virus is passed through the manure.
Mayer said individual farms were asked to complete the DNA test kits on their own herds, rather than appointing one person to visit all the farms, which would increase the risk of spreading the virus. Green County has fewer than 20 farrowing farms, he added.
Spring fair pig weigh-ins were banned in February, when Wisconsin state veterinarian Dr. Paul McGraw banned the weigh-ins in the wake of the virus outbreak.
Wisconsin had seen only six confirmed cases of PEDv by mid-February, but nationally confirmed cases had jumped to the highest weekly increase since the highly contagious disease was discovered in the U.S. in April 2013.
McGraw also recommended only terminal shows at county fairs. Mayer said Green County Fair hog shows have been terminal since the mid-1980s, so no changes will have to be made. Terminal shows require the animal to be slaughtered for food and not returned to the farm.
Fairgoers this summer can rest assured the PEDv is not contagious to humans, and pork products are safe to consume, Mayer said. Pigs are the only host for this virus; it is not found in other animals.
Mayer also said the PED virus likes cold, damp weather - not the typical, hot temperatures Green County fairgoers experience each year. He believes the number of new cases being reported may have peaked in February.
Dr. McGraw has taken a proactive approach in trying to control the disease in Wisconsin by educating pork producers about enhanced biosecurity efforts and protecting their herds. He is now joining a small group of colleagues from across the nation to provide input to the U.S. Department of Agriculture on methods to confront the disease.
The proposed USDA program has an initial start-up budget of $5 million. The program may include the development of herd management plans and funding for surveillance along with required reporting.
USDA Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on April 18 that the USDA will require PED virus and other swine enteric coronaviruses to be reported.
"But exactly what this means for producers and the details of the process are yet to be determined," said McGraw, in a Wisconsin DATCP announcement last week.
The USDA will also require tracking the movements of pigs, vehicles and other equipment leaving affected premises; however, movements would still be allowed.
Mortality in young pigs that are infected can reach 40 percent, and infection can be 90-100 percent.
The swine industry has already developed informational materials and tools to help producers control the disease and to minimize its spread. Cleaning and disinfecting all items that have contact with the herd is key to preventing cross contamination and infection.
UW Extension has a PEDv factsheet available for youth livestock owners at fyi.uwex.edu/youthlivestock/files/2014/02/PEDv_squeaky_factsheet1.pdf.
Six million young pigs nationwide have died from the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv), first identified in the United States a year ago. More than 4,000 outbreaks have been seen in at least 30 U.S. states as well as Canada. It is now reported to have reached Mexico.
Wisconsin had only 14 positive premises as of April 25, according to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The first Wisconsin case of PEDv was identified in August 2013.
No vaccine against the virus has been developed yet, but the USDA is providing assistance to researchers looking into the disease.
Mark Mayer, Green County University of Wisconsin-Extension agriculture agent, is trying to track the virus' spread through incidental case reports. No cases have been found in Green County, but one case may be as close as 20 miles from the county's borders, he said.
An overall map of Wisconsin cases is not available because case reporting is not yet mandatory, said Zen Miller, UW Extension Swine program team leader. The program team conducts pork quality assurance and site assessments.
For PEDv testing and acceptance into the Green County fair this year, 94 local youths have completed DNA testing and tagging of more than 200 pigs, Mayer said. About 175 hogs are expected to be shown at the fair in July.
The test kits replace the traditional county fair weigh-ins, where hogs may commingle with other pigs and then head back to the farm of origin, exposing other pigs. The virus is passed through the manure.
Mayer said individual farms were asked to complete the DNA test kits on their own herds, rather than appointing one person to visit all the farms, which would increase the risk of spreading the virus. Green County has fewer than 20 farrowing farms, he added.
Spring fair pig weigh-ins were banned in February, when Wisconsin state veterinarian Dr. Paul McGraw banned the weigh-ins in the wake of the virus outbreak.
Wisconsin had seen only six confirmed cases of PEDv by mid-February, but nationally confirmed cases had jumped to the highest weekly increase since the highly contagious disease was discovered in the U.S. in April 2013.
McGraw also recommended only terminal shows at county fairs. Mayer said Green County Fair hog shows have been terminal since the mid-1980s, so no changes will have to be made. Terminal shows require the animal to be slaughtered for food and not returned to the farm.
Fairgoers this summer can rest assured the PEDv is not contagious to humans, and pork products are safe to consume, Mayer said. Pigs are the only host for this virus; it is not found in other animals.
Mayer also said the PED virus likes cold, damp weather - not the typical, hot temperatures Green County fairgoers experience each year. He believes the number of new cases being reported may have peaked in February.
Dr. McGraw has taken a proactive approach in trying to control the disease in Wisconsin by educating pork producers about enhanced biosecurity efforts and protecting their herds. He is now joining a small group of colleagues from across the nation to provide input to the U.S. Department of Agriculture on methods to confront the disease.
The proposed USDA program has an initial start-up budget of $5 million. The program may include the development of herd management plans and funding for surveillance along with required reporting.
USDA Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on April 18 that the USDA will require PED virus and other swine enteric coronaviruses to be reported.
"But exactly what this means for producers and the details of the process are yet to be determined," said McGraw, in a Wisconsin DATCP announcement last week.
The USDA will also require tracking the movements of pigs, vehicles and other equipment leaving affected premises; however, movements would still be allowed.
Mortality in young pigs that are infected can reach 40 percent, and infection can be 90-100 percent.
The swine industry has already developed informational materials and tools to help producers control the disease and to minimize its spread. Cleaning and disinfecting all items that have contact with the herd is key to preventing cross contamination and infection.
UW Extension has a PEDv factsheet available for youth livestock owners at fyi.uwex.edu/youthlivestock/files/2014/02/PEDv_squeaky_factsheet1.pdf.