Three Million Pigs Possibly Lost Due to PEDV
January 6, 2014
Three million pigs may have been lost to porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) during 2013, according to some estimates, says Bob Thaler, South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension swine specialist.
“The first cases were reported this May, and as of Dec. 1, 2013, there are 1,512 cases in 20 states in the United States,” Thaler says. “The disconcerting news is that this is an increase of 140 new locations from the week before, which is the largest one-week jump in cases.”
While South Dakota has only two reported cases, Thaler says multiple cases have been reported in Iowa and Minnesota, with Nebraska reporting its first cases the end of December.
“Outbreaks of PEDV can be devastating. There is 100% mortality in newborn pigs, and this typically creates a five-week hole in pigflow because there are no pigs to wean,”Thaler says. “Pigs in the early nursery phase don't experience the high death loss, but it does cause severe diarrhea so many pigs are stunted and nursery performance suffers.”
As pigs get older and their own immune system becomes functional, Thaler says there is little to no death loss, and most pigs experience just a one-week lag in growth performance.
“One of the good things about PEDV is it appears that the virus itself is not an airborne threat,” he says. “However, it is very easily transmitted by manure and if a virus-contaminated piece of manure were to be small enough to get aerosolized, then PEDV could travel in the air.”