November 08, 2009
What's Inside:
A possible vaccine for swine flu?
Boehringer awaiting approval on tool to fight the flu in hogs
Boehringer awaiting approval on tool to fight the flu in hogs
Photo by Todd Weddle / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo
Only a handful of pigs were at the St. Joseph Stockyards Monday morning. U.S. Department of Agriculture officials reported that no pigs in the United States have been infected with the swine flu.
A potential solution to swine flu could come out of St. Joseph.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has developed a vaccine for swine flu that is currently waiting for regulatory approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“It won’t be the solution, but it is one tool,” said George Heidgerken, president and chief operating officer of Boehringer.
Mr. Heidgerken said he expects the USDA to require all hogs in the United States to be vaccinated for swine flu, but enough vaccine supplies are available only to treat a fraction of the herd, he said. As the disease has caused more than 140 human deaths in Mexico and caused numerous outbreaks in the United States, Mr. Heidgerken is anxious to get Boehringer’s product to market.
“There might be more sense of urgency in approving a new swine flu vaccine,” he said.
Boehringer already produces vaccines for other swine diseases in St. Joseph. Mr. Heidgerken made his remarks Monday at a ceremony where Buchanan County presented the company with $100,000, the first installment on economic development incentives. Boehringer will build a $150 million expansion and create at least 124 jobs, paying $60,000 per year.
“I think it’s an investment in the future, and we’ll make it happen,” Mr. Heidgerken said. Approval of the new vaccine may speed up the process. “The more swine influenza vaccine we sell, the more jobs we can have.”
Even though hogs are treated with the flu vaccine, so far, no pigs in the United States have the disease, USDA reports. The new strain is a hybrid of swine, bird and human flus that affects humans.
Animal health producers are working to stop the spread of the new strain.
“Diseases don’t know boundaries,” said Ben Richey, executive director of the U.S. Animal Health Association, which is headquartered in St. Joseph. “It’s an example of how quickly disease can spread.”
However, the industry is prepared to respond, he said.
“For pork producers, this is something they watch for,” Mr. Richey said. “Swine flu is not uncommon in the United States.”
Few hogs came to market at the St. Joseph Stockyards on Monday, but workers said that was probably due to heavy rains instead of disease fears. Hog prices were down as the market reacted to the news.
Triumph Foods slaughters 18,000 hogs a day in St. Joseph, with virtually all of the pigs coming from farms owned by the producers who own the plant.
“As an industry, we are very diligent to make sure the hogs are healthy,” said Patt Lilly, chief administrative officer of Triumph Foods.
The company’s greatest concern is that because the disease is named swine flu, people will avoid eating pork, Mr. Lilly said. USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report people cannot get the disease by eating pork or handling raw meat. It is spread by contact with infected pigs or a person with the disease.
Susan Mires can be reached
at susanm@npgco.com.
This story has 17 comments. Click here to join in on the discussion.
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18,000 pigs slaughtered a day. So many lives. There are tasty and healthy alternatives to eating things with faces. The human race can survive nicely on protein from soy, wheat, dairy, egg whites and legumes. I became a vegetarian in 1987 after reading a front-page story in the News Press about the downed animals at stockyards being chained and dragged to the slaughter when they were too sick to stand or walk. That did it for me. It was an easy transition. When I consider pigs are at least as smart as dogs and know what they must go through as they are herded, hung, bashed and knifed to death, I'm sick about it.
Oh come on! Humans were made to eat meat! I don't care how they are killed as long as there are some nice pork baby back ribs whenever I feel like having a BBQ.
God gave us (or we evolved as some would say) teeth that allow us to shred and tear meats.
Yum, now I am starving.
Humans were made to make intelligent choices and act like compassionate beings. I'm with Karen, but include eggs and dairy in the dietary mix.
Some people must be having a steady diet of fruitcake. The hogs wouldn't even have a life if not created for food. Do you think they propagate themselves? How do you think the poor plants feel as they are ripped from the ground and shredded, pulverized and ground into edible substances for humans? The soy and wheat you eat is taking food from the mouths of some of these poor piglets, causing them to suffer, possibly starving. How thoughtless of you vegetarians.
Karen and Trixie- when was the last time that you had a good piece of Pork?? A pork chop, some nice good old ribs, bacon, or even a piece of pork sword.
I like to imagine their smiling faces watching over me from pig heaven as I enjoy eating their earthly remains. I think they are smart enough to understand they are just too delicious to live.
To each his or her own. It's an individual decision to make. Hey, I haven't been able to convert my own husband, so I don't expect to be able to change anyone's mind. But I dare all meat eaters (and I used to be one, though infrequently) to visit a slaughterhouse. Dare ya! Have you seen the surveillance videos on You Tube at chicken and turkey barns?
In some Chinese provinces, they still eat cats and dogs. How far removed are we?
When I was in pre-med classes, cutting up dead animals reminded me of the food I ate. That got me thinking, as well.
My cholesterol is 147 and my BP is 92/64, so there are health benefits as well.
I have visited a slaughter house and found it rather interesting. The videos you see on YouTube are the far left's version of what happens and is not the norm. They will find the worst places and video them.
I am a proud member of PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals)!
Just remember, there is plenty of room for all of God's creatures.......right next to the mashed potatoes and gravy!
Some of you are being a bit cruel and using humor at others' expense. While I am still a meat eater, it does bother me to think about the torture and horrible conditions a lot of animals go through before they are slaughtered. You'd think as civilized a nation as we are, we could make sure that no animals are abused or suffer for their contribution to mankind. I've heard first hand the stories just from Triumph alone which made me sick and feeling a tad bit guilty. However, I have to admit I haven't changed my eating habits. But EVERYONE should be a little more sensitive to others' feelings before they speak.
I have been to Triumph and I thought it was very interesting and it frankly made me hungry.
biggieroth--well that's fairly disgusting. Which part(s) of the smell, noise and/or sight appealed to your hunger? *Gag*
Or let me guess...that was just another "dig" at those of us who find some slaughter house conditions a little barbaric? Really?! (eye roll)
JLK...neither.
Neither really offends me weather it be the conditions at the processor or the smell from ribs on the smoker.
I have toured the plant from the moment the hogs walk in to the time they leave vacuumed packed, fascinating really.
I don't think they felt a thing.
Are they waterboarding pigs at triumph again?
i too think karen has her opinion of wether she eats meat or not. she even admitted that she couldnt get her husband to switch. you do what you want to girl! ! ! i will do as i please also. and i must admit i love all animals. but not enough to say they have a right to live, after all , they sent me overseas to annihilate other humans so who am i to say you can or cant eat animals when i was one .sorry to have made you think.
Interesting comment, donaldo. We do what we have to to survive, emotionally, physically and psychologically in a sometimes very cruel world, don't we? Glad you are back home and thank you for serving.
On another note, everyone please be careful while the swine flu epidemic is increasing. Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth after being out in public or shaking hands until you can wash with soap. Stay three feet from anyone coughing or sneezing. Use Lysol or Windex on community keyboards and doorknobs, microwave handles at work. There is treatment, but you have to start it within 48 hours to be effective.
Here are some thoughts for you all to chew on, regardless of your dietary habits.
Gunner81 thinks that it is okay to purposefully breed pigs for food production. Otherwise, they never would have been born, right? This sounds like a great argument for justifying human slavery. Hell, Lincoln had it all wrong. As long as those black people were bred to work the fields it's okay!
My other point is that disease gleans the population of its weakest members. This is the basic tenet of evolution...survival of the fittest. We can keep coming up with vaccines and medicines and cures, and mother nature will keep inventing ways to kill us off. No animal population gets away with overpopulating its turf, and human animals are no exception. Seems to me we are WAY OVERDUE for a major human die off. Call me cold-hearted, but I prefer the term realistic.