21 The Trusted Source for Canada’s Pork Producers Better Pork | December 2023 hog farmers to large scale producers – because every effort to support healthy practices in swine herds benefits the overall health status of Ontario’s swine sector. Ontario Veterinary Medical Association smallholder communications Focused on awareness and prevention of ASF, the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) developed an online resource hub to assist swine smallholders and veterinarians offering services to swine clients to be better prepared against the threat of ASF. Fact sheets and educational videos are available at www.ovma.org/ pet-owner-resources/african-swine-fever. A one-hour online course is also available on the site for veterinarians. The course is presented by Dr. Sue Burlatschenko, herd veterinarian at Total Swine Genetics, and covers swine-related foreign animal diseases. Veterinary training course The Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System (CAHSS) offers a virtual smallholder swine veterinary training course aimed at supporting veterinarians working with small scale pigs in Canada. This annual course has been offered a total of three times (in English and French) and provides a comprehensive overview of swine general health and smallholder production practices, diagnostic workup of sick pigs and herds, basic procedures, biosecurity, vaccination strategies, foreign animal disease and an overview of pet pigs. Veterinarians from across the country have participated in the online training, supporting the overall health of Canada’s swine industry and providing insights into disease surveillance across the nation. Registration is free and open to Canadian veterinarians and veterinary staff. The next course runs on Tuesdays from Jan. 16 to Feb. 6, 2024 at 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. ET. For more information or to register, please email cahssinfo@animalhealthcanada.ca. Ontario Pork smallholder online resource A robust web page, complete with downloadable resources, links, how-to guides and information kits has been developed by Ontario Pork and available at www.ontariopork.on.ca/producers/small. This resource is aimed at small-scale producers and pet pig owners and explains the importance of everything from biosecurity and herd health to deadstock and why it’s necessary to document animal movement through the PigTrace program. Smallholder hog producers can also subscribe to industry alerts to receive relevant information that could affect Ontario hog farmers of all sizes. SmallScalePigFarming.com A national resource, smallscalepigfarming.com, is another website designed for Canadian small-scale pig farmers. The site focuses on raising hogs outdoors and provides everything small farmers need to know about feeding, fencing, housing and keeping pigs healthy. A series of howto videos and fact sheets provide information and instructions including food safety, animal nutrition, maintaining herd health and marketing. The success of these smallholder swine projects and programs continues, helping small-scale producers and pet pig owners understand what it takes to raise and care for healthy pigs while taking measures to keep our industry safe and reduce the risk of disease transmission. Many of these resources are available online or by request through Ontario Pork. Please share these resources and information with any smallholder producers because we’re all invested in the health and sustainability of Canada’s hog industry. BP SWINE HEALTH ONTARIO SWINE HEALTH ONTARIO Swine Health Ontario is a leadership team focused on improving and coordinating the industry’s ability to prevent, prepare for and respond to serious swine health threats in the province.
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