11 The Business of Canadian Hog Farming Better Pork | June 2024 one-day-a-week position at OVC, teaching on-farm. “This helped me stay connected to the pig side of the world, something that I’ve tried to maintain throughout my career,” she adds. “I really like teaching and research and the opportunity to do more of both at OVC was a big attraction for this new position.” While at PHAC, she also studied part-time at OVC for a PhD, which she completed in 2012. Tackling antimicrobial resistance At the Public Health Agency of Canada, Deckert became part of a team that focused on the emerging problem of increased antibiotic resistance and in 2002 launched the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS). CIPARS began with three antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance components, as well as monitoring human antimicrobial use, and several targeted research projects. Deckert’s role was managing surveillance at the abattoir level for beef, pork and chicken, and as of 2006, she also became active in farm level surveillance when the on-farm monitoring program for swine was launched. All samples are submitted confidentially through veterinarians to gather samples for antimicrobial resistance testing and anonymous data on antimicrobial use, animal health, demographics and biosecurity. This on-farm component has since been expanded to include poultry as well as feedlot and dairy cattle. “It’s not a traceback program at all, but it lets us get a picture of how antimicrobials are used in Canada, what kind of antimicrobial resistance we’re seeing on pig farms, and how we can help producers use antibiotics efficiently. It’s important work,” she says. Key to the long-term success of the on-farm surveillance program has been the collaborative approach between veterinarians, academia, pork producer organizations, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and provincial governments, which helped the industry understand what the program was trying to achieve. Building a research program Now that she’s returned to OVC, Deckert is working on building her research program. She’s always been interested in sow health, including how the industry can improve piglet management and survival with hyper-prolific sows, as well as dealing with longevity and sow mortality. “What are the risk factors associated with mortality, why are we seeing increases in sow mortality, and why do so many herds struggle with this?” she asks. “There is more to look at there, as far as risk factors and potential interventions.” Another area of focus is the impact of climate change on animal health. For example, as temperatures rise and insect patterns change, what diseases should the industry be aware of, monitoring, and conducting surveillance for that may become an issue? What impacts will the environmental side of climate change have on swine health? “There are a lot of pigs raised in very hot parts of the world, but in Canada we also have to deal with cold, so we need to look at what is being done elsewhere that could work well in the Canadian context in dealing with temperature extremes,” she says. Her final area of focus is connected to her more than two decades of work with antimicrobial resistance – helping the industry use antibiotics in the best ways possible to both maintain effectiveness and address public perception challenges. “We have to use them as smartly as possible so we can have them continue to be a useful solution, which means DECKERT: RESEARCH OF VALUE LILIAN SCHAER Lilian Schaer is an agricultural journalist with over two decades of experience in the Canadian agri-food industry. We appreciate all your comments, along with story ideas on issues you want to see us cover. Paul.Nolan@Farms.com HOW ARE WE DOING?
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