Overview
A small-scale swine producer is defined as someone who farms 10 sows or fewer or who markets 100 or fewer finisher pigs every year. See Alberta Pork’s webpage for small-scale swine producer information and resources.
This project applies to both small-scale domestic and wild boar producers.
About the project
The Disease Investigation Project’s main goal is early detection of provincially and federally reportable porcine diseases like:
- African Swine Fever virus (ASF) – if you suspect ASF, contact the CFIA immediately.
- Coronaviruses (Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea – PED, Porcine Delta Coronavirus – PDCoV, Transmissible Gastroenteritis virus – TGE)
- Salmonella
- Influenza virus
This project can help producers directly or private veterinarians who refer cases from small-scale swine producers. Not all pigs from small-scale swine herds will be accepted for testing. The herd’s symptoms must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- sudden increase in death
- sudden increase in abortions (pregnancy loss)
- illness manifested by septicemia (red to purple discolouration of the ears, abdomen and sometimes legs) leading to death
- increased number of pigs having diarrhea leading to death
- increased rate of difficulty in breathing and coughing leading to death
Submissions process
Important: Contact us first to confirm submission approval before you ship or drop off the carcass. Call:
- Fairview: 780-835-2238
- Edmonton: 780-422-1923
- Airdrie: 403-948-8575
- Lethbridge: 403-381-5190
Contacting us before dropping off or shipping carcasses ensures the circumstances meet the submission criteria and that you have a submission form. In some cases, the location closest to you may not be the location you will be asked to ship the carcasses to. Producers and veterinarians are welcome to drop off the carcasses or samples in person, but this must be pre-arranged with the appropriate staff at the drop-off location.
Submission form
Complete all the information on the Disease Investigation Program Mammal submission form – the premises identification number (PID) is mandatory. Apply for a PID online. A sample may still be submitted if the producer has already applied for and is awaiting their number. Results will generally not be released until the PID number has been received by our offices.
Keep a copy of your submission form for your records (if possible) and send the original along with the carcasses.
Sample preparation
Prepare your sample for delivery or shipping
We prefer to receive whole, unopened carcasses. However, due to the size of some pigs and the logistics of shipping, it may be reasonable to only submit blood or post-mortem samples.
Contact us for guidance if you wish to perform a post-mortem examination at your own facility and send us individual samples rather than a whole carcass.
- Up to 3 fresh or frozen carcasses (representative samples from the herd) may be delivered or shipped via courier.
- Do not ship carcasses on Fridays, as they cannot be received on weekends.
- Place the carcasses in a double-bagged Ziploc or garbage bag.
- Provide sufficient ice packs to keep carcasses cool in case shipment takes 2 to 3 days to arrive. Larger carcasses require additional icepacks.
- Put submission form in separate Ziploc bag from the bagged carcasses.
- Although not required by transportation regulations, it is strongly recommended that you place the double-bagged carcasses or samples in a leak-proof container (for example, a large plastic tote or cooler, or styrofoam insert within cardboard box).
- Ship carcasses using the courier of your choice Monday through Thursday depending on your location in the province; it can take more than 1 day for shipments to arrive. Alternatively, have the carcasses delivered by the producer or the veterinarian.
Note: All carcasses received in our facilities are incinerated once the post-mortem examination or sampling is complete. We do not return remains to owners.
Laboratory locations
Contact the appropriate government laboratory in advance for their courier schedule and staff availability. If the carcasses are being delivered, make note of the address and call us to arrange the drop-off. We need to know the estimated time of arrival and will provide drop-off directions.
Ship or deliver carcasses or samples to Edmonton, where the provincial veterinary pathologist is located, for the quickest response time. It may not be the location nearest to you but will ensure the quickest post-mortem examination and testing.
Edmonton
Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation
Attn: Pathology Lab (Post-mortem Receiving)
6909 – 116 Street
Edmonton, AB T6H 4P2
Phone: 780-422-1923
If shipping or delivering carcasses or samples to Edmonton is not feasible then these Airdrie and Lethbridge locations are able to receive whole carcasses and samples:
Airdrie
Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation
Attn: Pathology Lab (Post-mortem Receiving)
97 East Lake Ramp NE
Airdrie, AB T4A 0C3
Phone: 403-948-8575
Lethbridge
Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation
Attn: Pathology Lab (Post-mortem Receiving)
3115 – 5 Avenue North
Lethbridge, AB T1H 0P2
Phone: 403-381-5190
If shipping or delivering carcasses or samples to Edmonton, Airdrie or Lethbridge is not feasible then the Fairview location may be utilized. Note: Fairview will only accept blood samples, post-mortem samples and small pig carcasses 4kg or less – large pig carcasses will not be accepted.
Fairview
Alberta Agriculture, and Irrigation
Attn: Pathology Lab (Post-mortem Receiving)
Bay #3, 10941-90 Avenue
Fairview, AB T0H 1L0
Phone: 780-835-2238
Related
Alberta Pork – Small-Scale Production
National Farm Animal Care Council – Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs
Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System – Smallholder Swine