Farmscape for November 23, 2005  (Episode 1976)

A southern Saskatchewan veterinarian is encouraging those who work with swine to get their annual flu shots as an additional line of defence to help protect both themselves and the pigs they work with against the risk of infection.

Although the biggest risk of transmission of disease from one barn to another comes from the pigs themselves, people can also transmit disease to the herd.

A number of infections, primarily influenza and salmonella can be transmitted from people to pigs and via versa.

Dr. Shawn Davidson, with Davidson Swine Health Services, says we saw a lot of influenza last winter in swine and we will likely see a lot of influenza again this winter.

Clip-Dr. Shawn Davidson-Davidson Swine Health Services 

Influenza has always been and likely will always be a two way street between pigs and people.

That being that people can infect pigs with flu and pigs can infect people in converse.

One of the measures that's being recommended by the National Pork Producers in the US is that all swine barn workers be vaccinated against influenza.

That's as a biosecurity measure to prevent infection of the pigs but also as a measure to protect the worker from the potential that swine flu viruses may get into people.

There has been fairly good response to it.

It's been well publicized by the national pork producers that hog barn workers should consider getting a flu shot.

I think it's being fairly well received by people here.

We saw a lot of influenza in swine populations last winter during the typical flu season and we will likely see a reasonable amount of influenza this winter as well.

People are aware that the disease is out there and they're paying attention to it.

Dr. Davidson says the primary flu season in swine typically parallels the flu season in people beginning in the fall and running until early spring around the beginning of March.

He says it's a sound recommendation that people who work with swine get a flu shot.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council