The continued surge of a piglet-killing virus in Canada is starting to threaten a share of pork supplies in the U.S. Fifty cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, or PEDv, have been confirmed in Manitoba between May 1 and July 4th. The virus has affected over 63,000 sows at hog operations in southeast Manitoba, Canada’s third biggest pork producer. Bloomberg says some U.S. brokers have already quit taking shipments from Canada because of the outbreak. The virus causes diarrhea and vomiting. While older animals typically recover from the virus, mortality rate in young piglets can be as high as 100 percent. A recent U.S. outbreak back in the winter of 2013-2014 killed millions of animals, sending pork prices to record highs. Canada’s veterinarian service is still allowing pigs without the virus to be shipped south into the U.S. The latest outbreak is estimated to have cut production by as much as 200,000 piglets, with roughly half of that number ending up in U.S. barns.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.