Animal health experts are taking threat of porcine virus seriously

Cormac Dowling talks to senior figures in Irish animal health to assess the risk posed by the porcine virus in the USA.

The pig industry in Ireland is on red alert as it prepares for the possibility of an outbreak of the highly infectious porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PED) causing up to 100% mortality of piglets.

In the past year, the virus has wiped out about eight million piglets in the US, and has led to major restrictions on pig exports.