Three research projects designed to look at controlling the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea virus (PEDv) have been announced by the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, backed by significant provincial government funding.
The projects will be supported through the province’s Agriculture Development Fund, which is providing the equivalent of just over £2 million in funding for 30 new livestock and forage research subjects.
“Efforts to better understand and control the PEDv and other emerging diseases are vital to the competitiveness of our industry,” commented Sask Pork’s Chair, Florian Possberg, in response to the funding announcement.
The three project titles are:
- Controlling PEDV by improving host resistance – work to be carried out by the University of Saskatchewan.
- Development of a new generation of modified live virus vaccine for PEDV using reverse genetics – work to be carried out by VIDO.
- Enhanced molecular diagnostics and validating genetic resistance to PEDV in Pigs – work to be carried out by the Western College of Veterinary Medicine.
The Saskatchewan government is also contributing to the provision of the equivalent of £80,000 of new federal and provincial government funding for the carrying out of biosecurity audits on farm and truck washing operations.