An epidemiological investigation is ongoing at the Korkalns holding of the African swine fever (ASF) company, which housed almost 10,000 domestic pigs, Jānis Podnieks, a member of the company’s board, confirmed to LETA.
The Food and Veterinary Service (FVS) previously informed that on Friday ASF outbreaks in domestic pigs were confirmed in two domestic pig farms in Rudbārži Parish, Skrunda District, with a total of 11,500 domestic pigs, including ASF in the farm “Korkalns” and the farm “Kalna dzenīši”.
A member of the board of the company “Korkalns” indicated that – as an investigation is currently underway, he will refuse any comments on what happened, emphasizing that it will be possible to comment on the situation after the end of the epidemiological investigation.
Linda Dreibote, a representative of the Kalna Dzenīši farm, said that the liquidation of the animals is already being carried out and will be completed soon. Dreibote also declined to comment further on how the animal might have become infected.
LETA has already written that a quarantine zone has been established in both holdings – a protection zone within a radius of three kilometers and a surveillance zone within a radius of ten kilometers around the affected holding. Compliance with pig registration and biosecurity requirements and the health status of pigs will be intensified in the holdings in this area. Particular attention will be paid to the transport of pigs as well as pork products.
Domestic pig keepers in the FVS protection and surveillance zone were previously reminded that it was forbidden to move pigs from farm to farm and to move pigs and pork outside those zones.
The FVS called on pig keepers to be responsible for complying with biosecurity requirements. Summer is a high-risk period when ASF virus is most likely to enter domestic pig holdings.
In order to protect domestic pigs from ASF and their inevitable eradication, direct and indirect contact between wild and stray animals should be avoided and bedding that may have been accessed by wild animals should not be used. Pigs must also not be fed kitchen waste, green fodder, including yard grass, uncooked potatoes and other natural goods.
For protection against ASF, do not remove water from open water for watering animals, but only take care of clothing and footwear that is not worn outside the enclosure. Also, disinfection of shoes must be ensured at the entrance to the holding, as well as regular cleaning and disinfection measures must be performed in the holding. Vehicles entering the farm must also be thoroughly disinfected. If pigs look unhealthy, call a veterinarian immediately!
It has already been reported that this year the first case of ASF for domestic pigs was detected on July 6 in Gudenieki Parish, Kuldīga District, where there were 31 pigs in the backyard farm.
ASF was first registered in Latvia in June 2014 for three wild boars a few meters from the Belarusian border. It is a very dangerous disease and the entire flock of domestic swine must be slaughtered.
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