Thursday, February 13, 2014

How Many Piglets Have Died of PED (Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea)?


As noted in this Wall Street Journal article, each case may represent anywhere from one infected animal on a farm to thousands across a producer's operations. 

6 cases have been reported in Wisconsin.

Virus Threatens Wisconsin's Pork Industry.  (WBAY, 2/12/2014)

4 million, do I hear 4 million?  Since first detected in the U-S last April, its estimated four million pigs have died from PED, which causes diarrhea, vomiting and severe dehydration in hogs. Babies are the most susceptible.

Pig Virus Continues To Spread, Raising Fears Of Pricier Bacon.  (NPR, 1/26/2014)

Out of a total U.S. swine herd of 66 million on 68,300 hog farms. Pork producers across the country are grappling with a virus that's going after piglets. Livestock economists estimate the porcine epidemic diarrhea, or PED, virus has already killed about 1 million baby pigs in the U.S. since it was first found in Iowa last spring.

Piglet-killing virus hitting farmers hard in Minnesota. (Star-Tribune, 2/1/2014)

We're not saying.  Nationwide, the number of cases is climbing steeply, too, as PEDv appears to thrive in cold weather. While there are no hard numbers on how many pigs have died, PEDv can take a big toll on production.


National Pork Board Statement

National Hog Farmer

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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