ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) said on Aug. 18 that recently released research confirmed feed can be a carrier of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv), but that doesn’t mean feed is the source.

“The prevalence of the disease on an infected farm can contaminate many items,” said Richard Sellers, AFIA senior vice president of legislative and regulatory affairs.


Researchers collected feed residues from bins, and fed it to five piglets at South Dakota State Univ. All the piglets became infected with PEDv, but piglets that did not eat the feed did not get PEDv. Pipestone Veterinary Services in Minnesota and South Dakota State Univ. conducted the research, which was published in the peer-reviewedBMC Veterinary Researchjournal.

“There are still many unknowns related to the outbreak of the virus, and AFIA's goal is to work with industry partners, swine producers, veterinarians and the government to conduct and evaluate research to better understand the cause and transmission routes of PEDv,” Sellers added. “As a step to find answers, AFIA and industry partner, the Institute for Feed Education & Research, pledged $100,000 to the National Pork Board in May of this year.”