WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government expects swine flu to reach domestic pigs this year, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking to speed a hog vaccine.
Producers are being asked to follow protocols such as reporting cases to veterinarians or the government, removing affected swine from their herds and avoiding contact with infected animals.
The USDA has given several animal vaccine manufacturers the "master seed virus" from the swine flu strain now circulating among humans.
Scientists have said humans cannot contract swine flu by eating pork, which the USDA representatives reiterated on Thursday.
"We expect that influenza H1N1 will hit our swine herds, and that's why we're making the preparations that we're making," Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan told reporters on a conference call Thursday.
Pigs can get influenza just like humans do, said Dr. John Clifford, chief veterinarian for the USDA's animal-health division. They typically recover and have few deaths. So far, H1N1 infections of swine herds have been reported in Canada, Australia and Argentina, he said, but not the U.S., yet.
"We are saying to producers and to their veterinarians when pigs are sick with influenza, they should recover before they should be moved to other facilities or to slaughter," he said. "Then they're perfectly healthy and fine to move on."
The animals will be safe to slaughter and be eaten, he said.
Clifford said the USDA will help investigate cases where humans may have come into contact with affected pigs.
Producers have been concerned that an outbreak would hurt the already-struggling pork industry. Producers have been hit by record high feed costs last year and slower exports as foreign countries like China limit their U.S. pork purchases due to concerns about swine flu.