Swine fever under control

Pork producers no longer have to worry about European swine fever as stringent measures have proven successful in containing and, in some areas, eradicating it. The SA Pork Producers’ Organisation’s (Sappo) Johan van der Walt said the swine fever control area was reduced from May this year. The area now stretches from the Kei river mouth to the KZN border, and is further bordered by Dordrecht, Barkly Pass, Katkop and Brooksnek. “Intensive efforts are under way in this area to locate and cull infected pigs. Movement control is done in the area and restocking is disallowed. Since the beginning of August last year no more infected pigs have been found, indicating that the disease is under control but not yet eradicated,” he said. N early 492 523 pigs were culled in the Eastern Cape between August 2005 and May 2007. Some R322 million in compensation was paid to 133 533 individuals. Sappo enlisted the services of professional hunters to hunt wild pigs in and outside the control area. “To date 160 wild pigs have been shot and tested and all tested negative,” he said. – Cornelia du Plooy