African Swine Fever
Despite all the efforts to develop a commercial ASF vaccine, there is no vaccine or treatment commercially available yet to prevent or treat this virus. That’s why surveillance is so important, says Attila Farkas, DVM.
From African swine fever surveillance and vaccine candidates to genetic editing, the House Agriculture Committee hearing was filled with discussion on the fight against economically devastating livestock diseases.
Reports of international travelers not being diverted to CBP agricultural specialists for secondary screening after reporting that they had animal contact at ASF and FMD endemic destinations is raising red flags.
For the past 10 years, USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists have been working on a vaccine for African swine fever, the deadly virus of pigs. Here’s what the scientists have to say about what’s ahead.
A new African swine fever vaccine candidate has been shown to prevent and effectively protect both European and Asian bred swine against the current circulating Asian strain of the virus.
To help prevent the spread of ASF to the U.S., USDA Secretary Vilsack announced the dedication of $500 million to expand efforts to coordinate monitoring, surveillance, prevention, quarantine and eradication activities.
Russia has reported an outbreak of African swine fever at a site of the country’s largest pork producer, Miratorg. The outbreak occurred in the Belgorod region in central Russia.
The potential for feed ingredients to serve as a vehicle for African swine fever virus introduction to the U.S. remains a significant concern, said Gil Patterson, VMD, chief medical officer at vet tech company, VetNOW.
Germany plans a wild boar-free zone along the Polish border to counter African swine fever and called on Poland to help more in countering the pig disease.
USDA officials said while unfortunate, the detection of African swine fever (ASF) in Haiti was not unexpected due to recent cases of ASF in the Dominican Republic.
The World Organization for Animal Health confirmed an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) on the island of Haiti on Sept. 20. This is the first case of ASF virus reported in Haiti since 1984.
Pork industry groups applaud USDA’s effort to establish additional requirements for dogs imported into the U.S. for resale from countries where ASF exists.
Research continues in Vietnam on ELISA tests for African swine fever, made possible by a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service grant.
Democratic lawmakers urge House leadership for $75 million in funding for USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to prevent and prepare for a possible African swine fever outbreak in the U.S. swine herd.
Biosecurity on the farm is like defending a fortress, explained Clayton Johnson, DVM, with Carthage Veterinary Service, during USDA’s African Swine Fever Action Week.
A second case of African swine fever has been confirmed in a wild boar in the Uckermark region in the eastern German state of Brandenburg, Reuters reports.
Germany needs to develop a new strategy for the pig farming industry to help farmers who are facing ruinously low prices, German agriculture minister Julia Kloeckner said.
When it comes time to deliver hard or important news, it’s best-done face to face. We asked five leading experts in the industry what they would tell a producer if they had a chance to sit down with them face to face.
More than a month after ASF was detected in the Western Hemisphere, pork producers are still on edge about the possibility it will enter the U.S., as economists say it would shutter exports almost overnight.
The time you are most at risk for something is when you don’t know it’s a risk, says Patrick Webb, National Pork Board acting chief veterinarian. That’s why a new study to identify biosecurity gaps is causing a stir.
USDA Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack urges the U.S. that it needs to be informed about the devastation African swine fever (ASF) can cause if it reaches the U.S. swine herd. Listen to his video message here.
A 20-year-old U.S. citizen driving a 2012 Honda Odyssey attempted to bring 320 pounds of pork bologna and 30 pounds of turkey ham through the Paso Del Norte Border Crossing on Aug. 26.
Organizers are excited to hold the 2021 Allen D. Leman Swine Conference in-person as well as virtually, on Sept. 18-21 in St. Paul, Minn. The event includes a range of swine-health topics, including African swine fever.
With ASF marching westward and now just 750 miles from Florida, the U.S. pork industry’s decision three years ago to pull out all the stops to prevent the introduction and spread into the U.S. seems prescient.
Although there’s no licensed commercial vaccine for African swine fever available, experts say they are encouraged by the progress that’s been made in the last few years. Here’s why.
Germany is facing a long-term battle to eradicate African swine fever carried into the east of the country by wild animals, state and federal authorities said on Wednesday.
Industry groups are ramping up preparedness and prevention protocols in an effort to keep African swine fever from impacting the U.S. swine herd.
Traps. Drones. Sharpshooters. Missouri officials are doing everything they can to control its feral hog population.
The United States said it is seeking to avoid disruptions to pork exports if the territories of Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands detect the fatal pig disease African swine fever.
In the past 40 years, the swine industry has made incredible progress by coming together to fight foreign animal disease introduction from multiple angles. Paul Sundberg, DVM, says we can’t stop now.