Better Pork February 2017

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Better Pork February 2017 37
terra was just under $250,000, which
included the loss of 4,500 pigs.
“When we look at what we’ve
learned, the biggest is ensuring that
staff is involved in setting protocols,”
Chambers stated. “If staff doesn’t
buy-in, the protocols won’t be any
good.”
Other lessons learned include never
taking existing protocols for granted
and making a point of reviewing and
auditing these protocols often.
“As we found out the hard way,
just because it has worked for the
last 10 years doesn’t mean it’s good
enough today,” he added.
Sunterra’s U.S. operations had
their first PED break in May 2013
and, after battling the disease over
several years, are now hopeful that
they’re finally on the road to PED-
free status.
They’ve estimated their total cost
of an early nursery break of PED at
USD$7.34 per pig, which includes
$4.75 in performance losses, $1.79
in clean-up costs and $0.80 in extra
medication costs. And that’s why
they’re not prepared to accept PED
in their system, according to Ben
Keeble, US general manager for Sun-
terra Farms.
“We find it hard to have PED in
our system. It’s not just the money
but also the untold costs on relation-
ships with partners in the industry,
staff morale and disruption on flow
in the system,” Keeble said.
Swine Health Ontario has set a
goal of eliminating PED from Ontario
swine farms by October 2017. BP
Swine Health Ontario is a leader-
ship team focused on improving and
coordinating the industry’s ability to
prevent, prepare for and respond to se-
rious swine health threats in Ontario.
SWINEHEALTH ONTARIO
Aumsama/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo
Sunterra estimated its total cost of an early nursery break
of PED at USD$7.34 per pig.