Manitoba Pork Expands Swine Disease Management Team
Manitoba Pork has expanded its swine health management team in an effort to enhance response to disease threats and created the new position of Manager of Swine Health Programs
by Bruce Cochrane – FarmScape Online
Manitoba Pork General Manager Andrew Dickson told FarmScape Online that Jenelle Hamblin has been appointed to the new position and brings a background in animal production and microbiology. Formerly she has worked in the provincial agriculture department in extension and on developing programs.
“Part of Hamblin’s job will be to work with veterinarians to enhance that program and, as diseases emerge, share that information with producers early”
Dickson explained her role will be to coordinate with federal and provincial animal health officials in developing new swine health programs and to work with producers and their veterinarians to make those programs available.
“Somebody has to go to those meetings with federal and provincial officials to look at long term plans to deal with really bad diseases that might happen.”
According to Dickson, the expansion to the Swine Disease Management Team was sparked by the success Ontario had demonstrated combating PEDv.
“One of the things we’ve learned from Ontario is that they have set up this regional control and eradication model where they bring parties together to talk and share what they’ve learned in terms of disease management,” he said. “And also to identify hot spots so that neighbors know what is going on. As a result they have been able to control diseases like PEDv very effectively.”
Ontario had reported 150 PEDv cases, but this year are now down to about 15.
“We’re doing some work right now on transporters and how they manage diseases in terms of moving animals from one farm to the next so we have to have some protocols in place,” he added. “We want to make sure that people understand what a certified wash station is and what standards are being followed. And we also have to prepare for major diseases, for example on emergency management planning.”
Dickson stressed the secret to controlling bad diseases is to catch them early and to get them under control and to eradicate as soon as possible.
“We already have a system where veterinarians share information through a computer based reporting system. Part of Hamblin’s job will be to work with veterinarians to enhance that program and, as diseases emerge, share that information with producers early.”
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