Swine Flu Vaccine Not Tested On New H1N1

A new swine flu vaccine available to protect herds against traditional H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes, has no data available to demonstrate FluSure XP’s efficacy against the newly emerged A H1N1 global virus, Pfizer Animal Health says in a release. FluSure XP is the first swine vaccine to be licensed under new Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Nonpandemic Flu Strain Found In Saskatchewan

Federal health officials are working with the Saskatchewan government to assess and monitor the public health risk posed by a new strain of influenza that has been detected in that province. The new strain was detected in two workers on a hog farm in Saskatchewan. The workers suffered only mild illness and have recovered fully,


(PART 2)

No one doubts the severity of the cash crunch burdening the current generation of hog producers in Manitoba. Watching one’s equity erode with each hog sold is not something we’d wish on anyone. Barns are being depopulated and producers are shutting the door. These investments were made in good faith, and while any investment is

Sask. Crop Insurance Changes Welcome

Saskatchewan Stock Growers president Calvin Knoss welcomed changes to that province’s crop insurance program in response to drought conditions in northwest and west-central Saskatchewan. “We appreciate the efforts of federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and our Saskatchewan minister, Bob Bjornerud, in moving these changes forward so quickly,” said Knoss. “The three measures announced today stand


Hog Sector Needs Support

The onslaught of negative consumer perceptions around H1N1 Influenza A has added to the Canadian pork industry’s situation. High feed costs, a strong Canadian dollar, low hog prices, the economic crisis reducing access to credit, and Country of Origin Labelling have, over the years, undermined Canadian pork producers. The onslaught of negative consumer perceptions around

Source Of Infection A Mystery

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency insists a herd of pigs in Alberta infected with the H1N1 swine flu got it from a person, even though a prime suspect in the case was cleared. “Contact with an infected person remains the most likely source of infection on this farm,” CFIA said in a statement last week


Prime Suspect Cleared In Alberta H1N1 Herd

Acarpenter who returned from Mexico to an Alberta farm where pigs became infected with the H1N1 flu virus did not spread the disease to the animals, as previously believed. Alberta Health and Wellness said blood tests showed the man did not have H1N1 and so could not have infected the animals. It had been widely

Letters – for Jun. 18, 2009

Fresh air good for animals too The article “Berkshire freerange hogs” by Daniel Winters Manitoba Co-operator May 28, brought back some nice memories. After growing up on a farm in the 1940s, I can relate to what the McDonalds are accomplishing. It’s been quite awhile since I first attended school, yet I remember the teacher


USDA Starts Surveillance Of Pigs For Flu

The U. S. Agriculture Department will soon launch a pilot surveillance project to look for new strains of flu virus in pigs, including the new strain of H1N1 flu, chief veterinarian John Clifford said June 2. The program will examine samples from sick pigs voluntarily submitted to government and private labs, as well as any

New Virus Could Still Mutate, Spark Pandemic

“This is clearly different than what we see from seasonal influenza” The new H1N1 flu virus could still mutate into a more virulent form and spark an influenza pandemic that could be expected to circle the globe up to three times, the World Health Organization said May 12. The impact of any pandemic would vary,