Meanwhile the EU, which has a 22 million pig industry, has imposed new tests on live pig and pig blood imports from North America.
US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s Federal Order requires pork producers, veterinarians and diagnostic labs to report suspected or confirmed cases of porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDv), porcine deltacoronavirus, (PDCoV) or other novel swine enteric coronaviruses.
Farmers reporting cases are required, with a vet, to develop and implement herd management plans including testing to monitor herd virus status and effectiveness of control strategies. Up-to-date records of pig movements must be available to animal health officials.
Those who fail to comply face civil penalties, revocation of veterinary accreditation and may have quarantine or other restrictions imposed.
The EU’s moves follow an expert review of the PEDV epidemic North America and Asia which indicated North America’s epidemic is caused by two viruses – an Alphacoronavirus also present in the EU, and a new deltacoronavirus that does not appear to occur in Europe.
NZ Pork chief executive Owen Symanns told Rural News the viruses are not present in New Zealand and MPI has stopped imports of dried porcine blood as a precaution.
“We don’t have these viruses and we certainly don’t want them. They’re causing quite a reduction in pig meat production in the States. I’ve heard there’s upto 100% mortality of litters.”
Imports of fresh pork to New Zealand, which NZ Pork fought all the way to the High Court due to fears they present a pathway for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) to establish here, are now taking place but fresh meat is not currently thought to present a risk with the coronaviruses, says Symanns.
