Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 3/21/14

USDA reported this week another 296 new cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv), bringing the cumulative cases reported since the disease entered the U.S. hog population last May to 4,757. The number of infected states remains at 27.

There is no firm data on how many hogs have been infected, as each case reported can represent anywhere from a single animal or an entire herd at a single site.

USDA’s monthly Livestock Slaughter report issued yesterday showed pork production in February totaled 1.84 billion pounds, up 4 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 8.67 million head, up 1 percent from February 2013. The average live weight was up 6 pounds from the previous year, at 283 pounds.

Because the virus is deadly for baby pigs (adult hogs survive the virus), death losses should be expected to show up in slaughter numbers about six months after a herd is infected. This has industry eyes on next week’s USDA Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report.

“The big impact will likely be on the Dec-Feb pig crop and the under-50 and 50-119 pound market hog categories since roughly 60 percent of the total PEDv accessions for all hogs and for suckling pigs have occurred since December 1,” predicted Livestock analysts Steve Meyer and Len Steiner Inc. in the Daily Livestock Report.

Canada
In Canada, 2014 hog losses are expected to exceed the earlier estimate, given that PEDv reached Canada at the beginning of the year, according to an attaché report generated by USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service.

The report said there are over 30 reported cases of PEDv on Canadian farms, the great majority of which in the province of Ontario, and few isolated cases in Manitoba, Quebec and Prince Edward Island.

“At this point the impact of the disease at the national scale is minor and there are no estimates regarding possible future impact,” the report noted.

Statistics Canada data released March 5 indicating a national hog herd of 12,745,000 head Jan. 1, up 135,000 head from a year ago, but 435,000 head below the USDA official estimate.

Processors
U.S. pork processors have been mostly quiet about whether or not they are experiencing hog shortages at slaughter.

A Tyson Foods spokesman told Meatingplace last week, “We have not directly experienced supply reductions, but are seeing signs of hog supplies tightening around the industry." Reuters quoted industry sources saying last week a Smithfield packing plant had skipped a Friday kill day and might skip more in the future.

For more stories, go to www.meatingplace.com.