African swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs which leads to high death rate. It had been detected in the early 20th century in Africa, after which it spread throughout Asia and Europe.

This disease does not affect people, but still leads to immeasurable consequences. One of the main causes for concern is a potential ban on exports of meat products for the countries in which the African swine fever was discovered. An additional cause for concern is the absence of the vaccine as well as the adequate treatment. In order to stop the spread of the disease, euthanasia of the infected animals is most often undertaken as is it the most effective containment measure.

Our country has so far paid the amount of 8 million RSD in compensations for losses due to death and euthanasia of pigs as consequence of African swine fever. In the past when major infections of the pig population were reported, the pigs were massively euthanized in the area surrounding the discovery, while nowadays, euthanasia is enforced only on farms where the infected animals are found.

European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has started a campaign in 2020. aimed at education about the danger of spreading of the African swine fever among domestic and wild pigs in Serbia and throughout the Southeast Europe. EFSA reported that our country is under a great risk of African swine fever, while the Southeast Europe is deemed as a “risky region”. Since there is no treatment for this disease, education, prevention and detection of potential hotspots are key measures when it comes to stopping outbreaks.

Although African swine fever does not affect people, the human factor is the key when it comes to the spreading of the infection. Every time when we throw away some food waste on the side of the road, a wild boar can find them and get infected. Every time when a hunter hunts down a wild boar and does not take it to the registered veterinarian for inspection, he increases the risk of spreading the disease.

African swine fever and its symptoms: how to recognize them?

Animals that got infected from the African swine fever often show the following symptoms:

  1. Fever
  2. Loss of appetite and weight
  3. Loss of energy
  4. Vomiting
  5. Diarrhea
  6. Skin redness

Advice for farmers: ways to prevent the spread of African swine fever

In order to avoid the outbreak of African swine fever on your farm, apply some of the following tips:

  1. Keep your domestic pigs away from the wild boar
  2. Always keep your equipment clean and change your clothes and boots as you enter your farm
  3. Do not feed pigs with leftovers that contain meat of other animals
  4. If you are planning on bringing new pigs, it is crucial that they spend at least one week in quarantine, separated from the other farm animals. This way, you will determine whether they are healthy and ready to join your animals
  5. Procure food for your animals from reliable producer
  6. Check on health safety of water you give to the pigs
  7. Ventilation is a necessity, especially during the summer season

Ways to help prevent the spreading of African swine fever

Regardless of whether you keep farm animals or not, you can take part in stopping the spread of the African swine fever:

  1. If you come across a dead animal, report it to the zoohygienic service
  2. During your stay outdoors in the woods or in the meadow, do not leave the leftover food behind

Animal welfare and African swine fever

In the intensive farming systems, pigs are held indoors exclusively. A large number of animals on such a small area leads to oversaturation of air with ammonia. Hence, respiratory diseases are common occurrence, while this method of keeping animals is suitable for emergence and spreading of other diseases.

 

Author: Katarina Stanojević

English translation: Una Matić