The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a new strategy today (Thursday, May 14) that aims to protect Britain’s pig industry in the event of the UK’s first ever African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.
Defra outlined that the new measures within its strategy are designed to “control disease effectively without imposing severe restrictions on famers and producers.”
The department highlighted the introduction of three new restriction zones, which can be deployed depending on the situation following a swine fever outbreak.
The restricted zones will reportedly “help farmers avoid blanket movement restrictions on live pigs and pork products, reducing pressures such as overcrowding and enabling day-to-day operations to continue more smoothly.”
Developed alongside governments from Scotland and Wales, the strategy intends to strengthen surveillance requirements within the pig sector as veterinary inspectors will carry out visits to premises within disease control zones to verify compliance.
Testing for swine fever is set to be “enhanced” as part of this new strategy, with the hope that it will support earlier detection of infected animals.
Defra noted that pigs may be moved, under veterinary oversight, within zones for welfare reasons or to complete production cycles, aiming to further prevent overcrowding and maintain appropriate housing conditions.
African Swine Fever
The duration of disease control zones for ASF has also been revised, according to Defra, with the minimum period reduced to 15 days rather than 30 to 45 days.
The updated duration for these control zone will depend on initial cleansing and disinfection, alongside surveillance outcomes as well.
Defra noted that the shortened duration “is expected to significantly reduce welfare pressures on farms while maintaining robust disease safeguards”.
Defra stated ASF is a disease which affects pigs and wild boar that in recent years has been circulating in parts of Asia and Africa, leading to the “deaths of millions of pigs worldwide and causing significant disruption to the meat trade”.
Whilst there has never been an outbreak of ASF in the UK, the disease has spread to parts of Europe through the movement of wild boar and human actions, including moving infected meat.
Defra
Speaking on the new strategy, Defra’s minister for biosecurity, Baroness Hayman said: “his updated strategy reflects our commitment to working in partnership with farmers and the wider pig industry to manage disease risks effectively and protect a sector worth over £8 billion.
“These changes will help reduce unnecessary pressures on farmers and producers, maintain high standards of welfare, and ensure we are well prepared to respond quickly and confidently to any outbreak.”
The chief veterinary officer for the UK, Christine Middlemiss also commented on the strategy, stating that it will ensure Britain is “better prepared than ever before to respond swiftly and effectively to a potential outbreak of swine fever”.
Middlemiss added: “Enhanced surveillance and flexible movement licensing will help us detect disease earlier and protect our national herd whilst maintain essential farming operations in a biosecure manner.
“Whilst the disease is not present in Great Britain, we encourage all farmers to maintain strong biosecurity standards and familiarise themselves with the new measures.”