While recent regulatory changes and additional slaughter capacity are beginning to ease pressure on local pig producers, those in affected areas say the initial response exposed weaknesses in disease-management protocols and biosecurity implementation.
African swine fever (ASF) has resulted in high mortality rates, with no vaccines available against the disease.
Late last year, James Jenkinson, chairperson of the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO), was the first farmer to confirm ASF on his farm.
“It is a wipeout disease; I don’t have a pig left on my farm. How does a farmer get up again when his whole farm has been buried?” he said.
Five commercial pig farms in South Africa have confirmed cases of ASF. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Marlene Louw, CEO of SAPPO, said the first two had already culled their herds, while culling was still under way on the other three, bringing the total to about 30 000 pigs so far.
Louw explained that animals that showed no clinical signs of ASF could be quarantined, and if they remained negative for the disease for 28 days, they could be slaughtered.
“However, this is a huge risk, as these animals need to continue to be fed, with no guarantee that they can be slaughtered after 28 days,” she added.
Louw said that such an outbreak of ASF has never been seen in South Africa: “Previously, there were isolated cases in commercial piggeries, but now [they are occurring] one after the other. It’s troubling. The million-dollar question is how, and why now.”
FMD-affected pig herds doing better
Herds with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) are faring better than those with ASF, since mortality rates are lower. Cost implications, however, are still high, with expenses related to quarantine, and because cuts like hooves, heads, bones, and skins need to be disposed of instead of sold.
Louw explained that although pigs from FMD-affected farms could, in theory, be sent for slaughter, there was initially no designated abattoir to apply a controlled slaughter process for such animals.
As a result, the pigs were, for a time, unable to enter the slaughter system, placing severe strain on farmers’ cash flow.
A challenge with the FMD outbreak is that protocols developed for the cattle industry are being applied to all animals.
“The pig context is different because research shows that they are not long-term carriers of FMD. We’ve worked hard to get the protocol changed to allow for normal slaughter 14 days after the clinical end point [the day the last clinical signs of FMD were observed], rather than 28 days for cattle,” Louw said.
Subsequent regulatory adjustments and engagement between the pork industry and veterinary authorities have begun to ease these bottlenecks. At the beginning of March, amendments were introduced to allow controlled slaughter at registered non-export abattoirs, rather than only at specifically designated facilities.
Additional abattoirs have also been approved to handle pigs from controlled areas, helping to reduce logistical pressure in the system.
Jenkinson told Farmer’s Weekly that despite the seriousness of both disease outbreaks, there is little urgency on the part of government to revise outdated protocols for the management of the diseases.
“It has taken months to get to a point where we have an abattoir that can slaughter animals. It brings cash flow to a standstill if we can’t slaughter,” he added.
According to him, government officials who follow protocol one minute but not the next are exacerbating the problem: “Outdated protocols are being followed that are hindering progress.
“But then we had a state vet who refused to shower before she inspected the pigs. Showering is biosecurity protocol at its most basic, but [it] is not being followed.”
He added that SAPPO is in the process of gathering the necessary research outlining pig-specific risks and working with the Directorate of Animal Health to refine the contingency plan for the pork industry.
In terms of the state of the industry, Louw said that while the disease pressure is concerning, for those without FMD or ASF, the conditions are positive.
“Feed prices have come down and pork prices have risen. The situation would have been a lot worse if the cost-price squeeze was tighter,” she explained.
“The movement we are seeing in veterinary circles to find solutions to disease-related problems is positive, which bodes well for the long-term stability of the industry.”
The combination of regulatory adjustments, increased collaboration between the pork industry and veterinary authorities, and improved access to slaughter facilities is beginning to stabilise the industry, although disease management and biosecurity remain critical priorities in the months ahead.
