ASF hitting farms, backyard farms in Baltics
The first half of August 2015 has seen an unprecedented occurrence of African Swine Fever (ASF) on both farms and backyard farms in the Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Especially Estonian farms were affected.
According to official data submitted to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), in Estonia, four proper pig farms had to be cleaned and all pig inventory had to be culled when African Swine Fever was discovered amongst some animals.
- ASF was discovered on the largest of these four farms on August 4, in Jõgeva county, in the country’s east. At this farm, 6,426 head had to be culled when in total 15 pigs were found infected by African Swine Fever.
- On the same day, in Viljandi county, more towards the south, four pigs were found infected on a farm housing 2,149 pigs.
- On August 7, 6 pigs were found carrying ASF on a farm in Võru county, in the country’s southeast, close to the border with Latvia. The total number of 1,868 pigs were culled.
- Finally, on August 8, 1 pig was found infected on a farm housing 3,072 pigs, again in Viljandi county.
In addition, an Estonian backyard farm was found infected in Lääne-Viru district, bordering the Gulf of Finland. In this county hitherto no outbreaks of ASF had been found. Here, 3 pigs had to be culled.
Latvia: 5 backyard farms affected by ASF
In the same time frame, 5 Latvian backyard farms have also been found infected. Between 8 and 15 August, the virus was discovered on 3 farms in the country’s north, and 2 in the south. In total, 32 pigs had to be culled.
Latvia also saw a continuing large number of outbreaks in wild boars.
Lithuania: 6 backyard farms affected by ASF
In Lithuania, 6 backyard farms were found affected by ASF between 8 and 14 August; here 14 pigs had to be culled.
Recently, Pig Progress travelled to Lithuania to discover what happens when ASF breaks out on a commercial farm.
And on video Pig Progress aimed to answer the question what to do next when ASF has broken out?
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