Photo: FW Archive
The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is expected to start culling 15 000 pigs infected with African swine fever (ASF) on a farm near Potchefstroom in North West.
This follows an urgent application brought by the famer to the North West High Court to have the department cull and dispose of the infected carcasses.
This was according to Dr Peter Evans, head of consumer assurance at the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO), who said the culling operation would commence as soon as a suitable location had been identified to dispose of the animals.
“This [location] needs to be suitable so that there is no risk of spreading the [disease] and avoiding [any] contamination.”
He added that there was concern that the outbreak could have a negative impact on South Africa’s pork trade with neighbouring countries, but SAPPO was doubling their efforts to ensure that ASF was not “exported” across the country’s borders.
“We have clinical monitoring of animals, as well as the OIE’s [World Organisation for Animal Health] control method of compartmentalisation, which safeguards [producers] against the spread of the virus.”
Evans added that the virus could survive in blood, urine, and faeces, as well as animal feed, and could easily be spread through contact with these substances.
According to Dr Langa Madyibi, director of veterinary services at the department, the animals would be culled humanely and disposed of in the correct manner, without the meat entering the value chain.
He added that once the virus started spreading between the different pig houses on a farm, it was no longer an option to slaughter healthy animals and sell the pork.
Johann Kotzé, CEO of SAPPO, said the farm had been under quarantine for more than 40 days with no movement of animals allowed since the outbreak. “The virus has been contained and has not spread to other farms.”
He added that although this was the first outbreak of ASF on a commercial farm this year, 27 cases of ASF had so far been reported this year. In 2020, a total of 20 cases were recorded across the country.
