Alberta pig farmer culls heard infected with H1N1 10:53 AM

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.inews880.com/Channels/Reg/LocalNews/story.aspx?ID=1100628

Alberta pig farmer culls heard infected with H1N1
10:53 AM

6/7/2009

A central Alberta pig farmer who's hogs were the first outside Mexico to catch the swine flu has made the difficult decision to cull his herd.

Alberta Pork calls Arnold Van Ginkel's move a "business decision", given the fact that the H1N1 virus is still present in the farm and therefore he could not sell his pigs.

Despite the World Health Organization assuring properly prepared pork products are safe to eat, Van Ginkel was having trouble marketing his animals.

The hogs were culled late last week under the watchful eye of federal and provincial animal health experts, and animal welfare officials.

Van Ginkel says he will apply for financial assistance while he tries to rebuild his life. (jg)

 

[gsgs]

Re: Alberta pig farmer culls heard infected with H1N1 10:53 AM

sell the sequences instead , GISAID might be interested ;-)


still only one genome, and that had strangely many mutations.
Canada had announced to do more sampling, but nothing
is yet at genbank.
Please send a sample also to CDC.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Alberta pig farmer culls heard infected with H1N1 10:53 AM

Could have fed alot of homeless people!

Source: http://www2.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/news/story.html?id=1672102

Hog farmer culls entire herd quarantined for swine flu
Andrea Sands, Edmonton Journal
Published: Sunday, June 07, 2009

EDMONTON - The Alberta hog farmer whose herd was quarantined after the animals were infected with swine flu has culled his entire herd, says a news release from Alberta Pork.

Arnold Van Ginkel said in the release Sunday he made the business decision because he couldn't sell the pigs, even though the animals were safe to eat. The quarantine by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency meant no animals from the farm could be marketed until testing showed the virus was gone and all the animals were healthy, the release said.

"I am disappointed that I have to cull these animals, but the presence of the Type A H1N1 virus in my herd left me with few options," said Van Ginkel, who had more than 2,000 pigs on his farm near Rocky Mountain House, west of Red Deer.

"With the quarantine still in place, I was facing another partial cull due to overcrowding and no prospects for marketing my animals once they were given a clean bill of health. The only real option left was to have a complete cull and end the uncertainty for my farm and for the entire pork industry."

Van Ginkel culled the animals late last week under supervision from federal and provincial animal health experts and animal welfare officials, Alberta Pork said.

"Alberta's pork producers support the decision by Mr. Van Ginkel to cull these animals. It is his farm and his business decision," Alberta Pork executive director Paul Hodgman said in the release. "Although not common, it is not unusual for swine producers to cull their entire herd in order to eradicate diseases and start fresh with a new swine herd."

Animal carcasses were disposed of safely in accordance with government requirements, and no meat or pork products from the animals will be used as food for people or other animals, said the release from Alberta Pork.

Van Ginkel intends to apply for government assistance to compensate him for his losses.

"We came to Alberta from Holland for a chance to start a new life and this entire event has been extremely stressful for my family. We will now need to start over and build a future for our family," said the father of six children.

Van Ginkel's lawyer Keith Wilson said last month it will cost about $500,000 to compensate him for his losses.

Scientists believe a sick carpenter, who had recently returned from Mexico, may have spread the illness to the animals when he was working in Van Ginkel's barn April 14. The H1N1 flu virus is transferable between pigs and humans.

A couple of weeks later, Van Ginkel called a veterinarian when his pigs began coughing and showing symptoms of illness. He said the vet notified the CFIA, and officials appeared on his farm to take blood tests later the same day.

The pigs had been quarantined since April 28.