The executive director of the Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative says in the US it's estimated that PED has infected about half of the sow population.

John Carney adds that fortunately, that number is much lower in Canada sitting at around two per cent.

Carney notes to help prevent the spread of the disease, there needs to be a line of separation between the animals and the manure applicator.

"The idea is that since PED is spread by fecal-oral contact, that you want to ensure that there's no chance of infected manure coming in contact with the pigs," he said. "So by having a line of separation where the manure application staff and equipment don't come in contact either with the pigs in the barn or with people or vehicles that are going towards the barn. That's how you would establish that line of separation. It's basically building a protective wall between the manure application activities and the pigs in the barn."

He adds that communication between the producer and manure applicator is key to ensuring the proper biosecurity protocols are followed.