Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
News and Views<br />
10 | Western Hog Journal | Winter 2012<br />
Autogenous Swine<br />
Influenza vaccines now<br />
available in Canada<br />
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has<br />
approved the manufacture of autogenous<br />
Swine Infuenza Virus (SIV) vaccines by Gallant<br />
Custom Laboratories at their Cambridge, ON<br />
location. A newly renovated production facility<br />
houses a stand-alone state-of-the art production<br />
laboratory for the manufacture of autogenous<br />
viral vaccines, the first of its kind in Canada.<br />
“An autogenous vaccine uses herd specific<br />
strain(s) that can easily be updated as new<br />
strains emerge and must be used under the<br />
direction of a licensed veterinarian,” explains<br />
Jackie Gallant, President of Gallant Custom<br />
Laboratories. “SIV is a highly variable virus<br />
and reassortment can lead to a combination of<br />
genes from avian, human and swine strains.<br />
Variability of strains between regions, countries<br />
and continents can sometimes challenge the<br />
ability of commercially available SIV vaccines<br />
to cross-protect against evolving field strains.”<br />
Monitoring and understanding the strains in<br />
the herd is crucial when planning a vaccination<br />
program and will help in the decision whether<br />
to use an autogenous or commercially available<br />
product to address herd health problems.<br />
Gallant also offers diagnostic services to isolate,<br />
purify, identify and subtype SIV from swine<br />
samples and long-term storage of isolates is<br />
available for future vaccine manufacturing.<br />
For further information, contact Gallant Custom<br />
Laboratories Inc. at 1 888-838-5223 or visit<br />
www.gallantcustomlaboratories.com.<br />
Canadian institutions<br />
invest in genomics<br />
research<br />
Genome Alberta has announced that it is<br />
leading a group of funding partners on two<br />
large-scale genomics projects, which will help<br />
improve Canada’s livestock sector. These<br />
projects build on Genome Alberta’s Applied<br />
Livestock Genomics Program, which was<br />
launched in December 2010.<br />
“Application of genomics to improve swine<br />
health and welfare” is a C$12.4-million<br />
research project led by Graham Plastow from<br />
the University of Alberta, John Harding from<br />
the University of Saskatchewan and Bob Kemp<br />
from PigGen Canada.<br />
“With the mapping and<br />
sequencing of the pig genome,<br />
scientists have an opportunity<br />
to apply genomic-based tools to<br />
the pork industry”<br />
With the mapping and sequencing of the pig<br />
genome, scientists have an opportunity to<br />
apply genomic-based tools to the pork industry.<br />
Similar tools are already part of the Canadian<br />
cattle industry and have revolutionized the