According to the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), the animal health situation in Serbia deteriorated significantly during the summer of 2026, prompting the authorities to strengthen disease-control measures and introduce emergency measures in the most severely affected areas.
ASF spread across seven districts, 12 municipalities and 58 settlements. In total, the infection was recorded on 734 farms.
As a result of the outbreak, around 30,000 pigs died or were culled as part of measures to eliminate infection sites.
Biosecurity and Movement Controls Strengthened
In response to the spread of the disease, Serbian authorities introduced stricter biosecurity requirements on farms.
Key measures include:
- restrictions on pig movements;
- enhanced veterinary surveillance of farms;
- safe collection and disposal of carcasses;
- measures to prevent transmission of the virus between farms by people, vehicles and equipment.
Particular attention is being paid to human-mediated transmission, as the movement of workers, vehicles or contaminated equipment can contribute to the spread of the virus between farms.
Compensation Promised to Producers
The authorities have also strengthened coordination between the various government agencies involved in ASF control.
Financial compensation is being provided to farms that have lost animals due to the disease or compulsory culling.
These measures are intended to partly offset the economic impact on producers, who not only lose livestock because of outbreaks, but also face movement restrictions and may have to suspend production temporarily.
Virus Continues to Circulate in Wild Boar
The continued circulation of ASF in the wild boar population remains one of the persistent risks to Serbia’s pig sector.
Authorities consider this to be one of the factors maintaining infection pressure on domestic pigs and creating a risk of the virus being reintroduced into farms.
For this reason, ASF control in Serbia requires simultaneous action in the commercial and backyard sectors as well as in wildlife.
Serbia Among Countries with the Highest Number of Outbreaks in July
The situation in Serbia formed part of a broader increase in ASF outbreaks in domestic pigs across Europe.
In July, seven European countries reported 186 ASF outbreaks in domestic pigs to the EU ADIS system.
Serbia accounted for 23 cases during the month. By this measure, it ranked second only to Croatia.
The summer ASF wave in Serbia has therefore become one of the most serious in Europe in 2026. The large number of affected farms and continued circulation of the virus in wild boar mean that disease control will remain one of the key challenges facing the Serbian pig sector.
PigUA.info, based on materials from thepigsite.com