To help producers fight animal diseases
Disease surveillance in the Canadian pig herd is a priority for the Canadian Swine Health Council. The CNPHS is a surveillance network that consolidates clinical data and promotes communication between swine veterinarians to help them address swine health issues on Canadian operations.
Network operation
- Canadian swine health data is collected and analyzed daily.
- Information is being added by veterinarians and pig specialists across the country.
- New information on diseases and methods of control is generated.
- Information is shared among veterinarians nationwide without disclosing the source.
- Veterinarians and industry organizations use the information to help producers manage the disease on their operations.
The swine veterinarian network
- Swine veterinarians and specialists will hold quarterly web meetings to identify and study emerging swine health issues.
- Each participating veterinarian will complete a form describing recent issues.
- The meetings will take place in three regions across Canada, followed by a nationwide web meeting later.
- Reports from these meetings will be sent to all swine veterinarians, to keep stakeholders informed of changes in swine health and recommended actions.
- The network will also be a way of communicating quickly when an unusual and major event is observed by a veterinarian or a laboratory.
Clinical data network
- When veterinarians complete their medical records, they also complete a short form recording their observations from their visit to the farm.
- This data is automatically transmitted to the RCSSP database where it is stored and analyzed.
- Confidentiality is of prime importance. No information identifying a producer will be sent to the Canadian Swine Health Surveillance Network.
- The reports (Health surveillance) resulting from these data are transmitted to the veterinarians.
- Veterinarians will have access to all farm data and reports from their clients.
- Reports can be shared with other veterinarians for the benefit of the entire industry, but only in larger areas to avoid operations being recognized, and always with the permission of the farm veterinarian.
Network advantages
- Helps protect herds from disease.
- Help veterinarians solve problems on the farm.
- Help the Canadian pork industry maintain its markets and gain access to new markets.