Russia adopts single set of regulations to fight ASF
Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture had adopted a single set of guidelines to fight African Swine Fever (ASF), The guidelines are based on Soviet epidemic regulations for disease prevention approved in 1980.
Draft decree “On the approval of regulations to combat African Swine Fever” was developed by the Ministry of Agriculture at a recent meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Arkady Dvorkovich.
According to the new guidelines pig owners must prevent production waste from polluting the environment, and that all waste destined for pig consumption should be heat treated (boiling for 3 hours).
If a farmer or pig owner suspects one of his animals to have caught ASF he must immediately report this to the appropriate veterinary service. Then he should isolate the pigs in the same room in which they were in when he saw the symptoms of the disease, stop all slaughter and sale of all animals (including poultry) and products of slaughter (meat, fat, skin, lint, etc.). The farmer also cannot export crops such as feed and hay.
Veterinary experts should be notified of all cases of sudden death or simultaneous mass disease or death of pigs, as well as unusual behaviour, within 24 hours. Farmers will be held criminally liable if they do not comply with the new guidelines.
Of course, the regualtions prohibit the import of animals into Russia from countries where cases of ASF have been reported.
The new regulations also provide a clear definition and methodology of diagnosis: from the sampling method to the list of those indicators, according to which the diagnosis may be considered confirmed.
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