Biosecurity measures introduced through Manitoba’s Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) elimination plan are playing a key role in keeping Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) levels relatively stable in the province, according to Manitoba Pork.
The update comes as the Swine Health Information Center recently reported the highest percentage of PCR-positive PRRS case submissions in U.S. wean-to-market pigs since 2018, highlighting growing disease pressure across North America.
Jenelle Hamblin, Director of Swine Health with Manitoba Pork, says the province’s experience shows how strong, consistent biosecurity can deliver benefits beyond a single disease target.
PRRS can spread both directly and indirectly — through contact with infected animals, bodily fluids, contaminated environments, and via fomites such as footwear, clothing, and transport trailers. Hamblin notes that rigorous cleaning, disinfection, and attention to on-farm biosecurity practices remain central to limiting transmission.
Despite increased PRRS activity elsewhere, Manitoba has not seen the same spike in PRRS positivity, a trend Hamblin attributes to protocols developed under the PED elimination framework.
“From my perspective, prevention is the priority,” she said, emphasizing the importance of diligence when moving between high-traffic facilities, ensuring transport sanitation, and applying on-farm biosecurity measures consistently.
Hamblin also stressed that effective biosecurity is not disease-specific, adding that protocols designed to protect against one pathogen often reduce the risk of multiple infectious threats.
As disease pressures continue to evolve, Manitoba’s experience reinforces the value of prevention-focused biosecurity strategies as a foundation for herd health protection.
