'We care for our pigs'

Update

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Pig farmers in KwaNonqaba, Mossel Bay, are giving their full cooperation to the Veterinary Services of the Western Cape and the Garden Route SPCA in Mossel Bay following the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in pigs in the Mossel Bay area.

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture has confirmed there is an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF), discovered on 13 January.

This is the first outbreak of this deadly disease in the area.

It is estimated that about 75 pigs have died, with about 500 pigs remaining in the community. The KwaNonqaba area has been placed under quarantine and community members are urged to not remove any pigs or pork products from the area in order to prevent further spread of the disease.

The Veterinary Services of the Western Cape held a workshop with the affected community and are in regular communication with the pig farming community to stop further spread.

Farmers speak up

SPCA management told the Mossel Bay Advertiser that pig farmers are cooperating and that the SPCA is at the pig farm daily, monitoring the situation.

Pig farmers told the Advertiser the farming sustained many families in the area. "Because of the increasing numbers of pig owners the disease started spreading. We have been asking authorities to provide us with alternative land that will be easily accessible to the farmers," a pig farmer said.

Farmers say they immediately contacted the SPCA when their pigs started dying.

"The SPCA then did tests and we were told our pigs had swine flu. We care for our pigs."

The SPCA confirmed that although current conditions at the pig farm could always approve, the majority of the farmers cared for, and were concerned about the health of their pigs.

Swine fever

African swine fever is a virus that only affects pigs, however, there is currently no vaccination or treatment available for the prevention of the disease, so the only way to protect pigs is good biosecurity measures.

Head of communication at the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Mary James, says carcasses should be disposed of in a safe manner; pigs should be confined to prevent roaming and potentially picking up and spreading the disease; hands, shoes, clothing and equipment should be sanitised before and after being in contact with pigs; any meat products should be thoroughly cooked before being fed to pigs; and pigs should only be bought from known ASF-free herds.

Signs of ASF include breathing difficulties; redness of the skin, especially underneath the pig, and on the ears; hind leg weakness; and loss of appetite.

Occasionally there may be blood in the faeces and bloody vomit.

The pig farm overlooks the KwaNonqaba area.