The creation of a Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank continues to moves forward

Jul 21, 2023

Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ag Ministers announcing an agreement to create a vaccine bank for Foot and Mouth Disease. that's something the Canadian Cattle Association has been pushing for.

Estimates suggest a FMD outbreak would impact our ability to export animals and could cost the industry anywhere from $19.4 Billion to $65 Billion in potential economic impacts.

In the Spring budget, Ottawa committed $57.5 million over 5 years with $5.6 million ongoing to the CFIA to establish the Vaccine Bank and to develop FMD response plans.

During this week's FPT meeting in Fredericton, Ministers discussed the guiding principles of Canada's FMD vaccine bank, with a focus on:

Click here to see more...

Video: Genetics Behind Swine Resilience - Dr. Jenelle Dunkelberger

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Jenelle Dunkelberger, geneticist at Topigs Norsvin, explains how genetics can improve disease resilience in pigs. She explores how resilience differs from resistance, the role of genetic variation, and how breeding strategies can enhance health and performance under disease pressure. Dr. Dunkelberger also covers practical applications and future implications for swine production. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Controlled experimental trials confirm that differences in mortality and performance under disease pressure are linked to genetic background, even when environmental conditions remain consistent."

Meet the guest: Dr. Jenelle Dunkelberger / jenelle-dunkelberger-9200ab86 is a geneticist at Topigs Norsvin, where she leads the Global Health and Behavior Research Platform. She earned her PhD from Iowa State University, focusing on host genetics and disease response in pigs. Her work centers on improving swine health and performance through genetic selection for resilience and behavior traits.