A Cambridge-based feed producer may have played a role in spreading porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) across Ontario pig farms – and in figuring out how the deadly virus first came to Canada.

PED has killed millions of piglets in the United States since last May.

The swine industry had been able to stop the disease from spreading into Canada, but that came to an end in January, when a case was confirmed on a farm in Middlesex County.

Since then, the disease has spread across the province, with cases now confirmed or suspected at 20 farms in Ontario, plus additional sites in Manitoba and Prince Edward Island.

Earlier this month, Cambridge-based feed producer Grand Valley Fortifier recalled some of its products following research out of Kansas State University showing a potential link between the virus and some forms of feed.

Specifically, the recalled feed contains blood plasma – and there are worries that the blood plasma of an infected pig may have found its way into Grand Valley’s feed while still carrying the PED virus.

“I think that could be the situation – that we have received a contaminated batch of porcine blood plasma (and) unfortunately utilized that in our feeds,” Grand Valley president Ian Ross tells CTV News.

“If in fact that is the case … the industry should understand that there is a definite risk of transfer with other batches of plasma and porcine-origin ingredients.”

Blood plasma and other porcine-origin ingredients are used widely in feed for young piglets because they have been believed to be a safe way of nursing young piglets onto dry feed.

Tests conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency show that the PED virus may have been present in a shipment Grand Valley received from a supplier.

Going forward, Ross says Grand Valley will no longer use any porcine-origin ingredients due to concerns that they could transmit PED or other swine diseases.

“It is quite astonishing to us that this small, family-owned company may have … stumbled upon this feed link,” he says.

Despite Grand Valley’s plans to remove animal byproducts from their feed, Ross says the link between PED and feed has yet to be conclusively proven.