A virus never before seen in the United States has killed millions of baby pigs in less than a year, threatening pork production and pushing up prices by 10 percent or more, according to UPI.com.
One economist believes case data indicate more than 6 million piglets in 27 states have died since porcine epidemic diarrhea showed up in the U.S. last May, but an estimate from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows the nation's pig herd has shrunk at least 3 percent to about 63 million pigs since the disease appeared, UPI.com reported.
Scientists think the virus, which does not infect humans or other animals, came from China, but they don't know how it got into the country, according to UPI.com. The federal government is looking into how such viruses might spread, while the pork industry, wary of future outbreaks, has committed $1.7 million to research the disease.
The U.S. is currently both a top producer and exporter of pork, but production could decline about 7 percent this year compared to last resulting in the biggest drop in more than 30 years, UPI.com reported.
Scientists believe PED, the virus infecting the pigs, came from China, which has seen repeated outbreaks since the 1980s and severe strains emerging in recent years, according to UPI.com. Outbreaks previously hit Europe as well.
PED thrives in cold weather, so the death toll in the U.S. has soared since December, with the first reports came from the Midwest, and the states most affected are those with the largest share of the nation's pigs: Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina and Illinois, UPI.com reported. The disease also has spread to Canada and Mexico.
In February, a pound of bacon averaged $5.46 in February, 13 percent more than a year ago, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, according to UPI.com. Ham and pork chops have also gone up, but not as significantly as bacon.
The virus leads to the pigs having diarrhea with symptoms that are uncomfortable in adults and become life-threatening in newborns that dehydrate quickly, UPI.com reported.
The best chance at saving young pigs is to wean them and then pump them with clear fluids that hydrate them without taxing their intestines, but nothing could be done for the youngest ones except euthanasia, according to UPI.com.
Some states now require a veterinarian to certify that pigs coming in are virus-free, and China has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to similarly vouch for animals shipped overseas, UPI.com reported.
