S. Africa extends pig culling drive to eradicate swine fever

South Africa said on Friday that it has extended the campaign to eradicate an outbreak of classical swine fever in the Eastern Cape province by another six months.

The Department of Agriculture said that the outbreak was under control with large numbers of infected pigs having been culled.

During this period the province will remain a Classical Swine Fever Controlled Area in terms of the Animal Diseases Act 35 of 1984, as declared on April 7, 2006.

For this reason, no live pigs, pork or pork products may be taken out of the region. The province has battled outbreaks of swine fever for over a year, with about 300,000 pigs culled in the province, said Lubabalo Mrwebi of the Eastern Cape veterinary services.

The outbreak of swine fever was regarded as an extension of the 2005 outbreak in the Western Cape which was the first in South Africa since 1918.

"It must also be noted that the in-transit movement of live pigs, pork or pork products from other provinces through the Eastern Cape Province is also not allowed," said the department.

In addition, hunters had been made aware that the measures included wild pigs, warthogs and bushpigs as well as any of their products.

Roadblocks have also been established at the borders of the Eastern Cape to enforce the ban on movement to prevent spread of the disease.

"With special reference to the upcoming holiday period, the public is requested to adhere to the instituted measures in order to assist in the eradication campaign," the department implored.

For this reason, an ongoing targeted surveillance program is being conducted in all provinces to assist in the early detection of any possible occurrence of the disease.

Nevertheless, pig owners have been urged to the importance of protecting their pigs from exposure to diseases in order to safeguard the long-term sustainability of pig farming in South Africa.

Source: Xinhua