Senecavirus A found in Ont. sow herd

Jul 04, 2019

This is the first time the virus has been found on an Ont. farm

By Jonathan Martin
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed yesterday that it found Senecavirus A (SVA) on an Ontario farm on June 29.

The disease does not pose a risk to public health or food safety, though it can cause blisters or ulcers on pigs’ heads and along the coronary band just above their hoofs. They may develop fevers, appear lethargic and become lame. The virus can even increase pre-weaning mortality slightly, Dr. Christa Arsenault, a lead veterinarian with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), told Farms.com.

“Like most viruses, SVA likes to spread pig-to-pig,” she said. “It can also spread indirectly through contaminated objects like equipment, footwear, clothing, transport trailers or anything that might have contact with the virus and then with pigs.”

OMAFRA considers SVA to be “immediately notifiable,” which means veterinarians must report suspected cases to the CFIA as soon as they rule out foreign animal diseases.

The disease hadn’t been detected on any Ontario farm before June 29, though the virus was previously found in Ontario assembly sites. The sites have constant contact with American products, where the disease has infected herds for more than 30 years, but there is no way to know how the virus made its way onto Canadian soil.

No licensed vaccine or treatment exists for infected pigs and researchers aren’t sure how long it can survive outside of a host.

“There’s a lot we don’t know about this virus,” Arsenault said. “It is worth noting that SVA doesn’t cause as much damage as other viruses so they may have taken priority.”

The CFIA collected samples from the infected Ontario farm after the herd’s veterinarian told the agency the animals were off feed, developing lesions and saw an increased rate in pre-weaning death. The samples tested negative for diseases with similar symptoms, such as foot-and-mouth disease, but came back positive for SVA.

“Associated farms” are being tested and observed, a government notice says.

Farmers should train their staff to recognize SVA’s clinical signs and make sure they disinfect any potential viral transport vehicles, Arsenault said.

“The quicker (the virus) is detected, the quicker we can react,” she added.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.