According to information from Latvian Food and Veterinary Service (PVD), African swine fever has been found in a farm with 48 domestic pigs in Krāslava County’s Robežnieki Parish.
Epidemiological and preventive measures have commenced in the enclosure where the infection was found.
To eliminate the source of the infection and prevent it from spreading, all 48 pigs will be liquidated.
A quarantine zone is established around the area. Within this area PVD monitors the health of domestic pigs in other farms, as well as compliance with bio-security requirements. Farms within the quarantine area are forbidden from moving their livestock to other farms or carry pigs and pork from the quarantine area.
PVD notes that this is the fourth confirmed African swine fever outbreak uncovered in Latvia. The first was recorded on the 27th of June in Gulbene, whereas the other two were uncovered on the 14th and 15th of July in Madona.
The biggest threat to domestic pigs is the African swine fewer-infected wild boars, especially considering that their population in Latvia has recovered rapidly.
Protecting domestic pigs from this virus is possible if farmers comply with strict bio-security measures: pigs must not be allowed outside to prevent them from coming into contact with wild animals, pigs must not be fed green fodder, vegetables and fruits from the backyard garden, as well as leftovers from food, care must be taken with the use of litter – chips, straw, hay, clothing and footwear must be replaced before going into the barn, and disinfection of shoes must be carried out, as must tools, wheelbarrows, buckets and other equipment used in the barn must not be used outside.
Because the African swine fever spreads very quickly, in the event of an outbreak all pigs in the affected farm have to be put down. A quarantine zone is also established around the affected farms as a precaution.
As previously reported, African swine fever has so far been confirmed for 301 wild boars in 23 Latvian counties this year.
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