1. What is African swine fever (ASF) and why is it dangerous?
ASF is an infectious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, regardless of breed and age. It has a high mortality rate (up to 90%) and a serious impact on business, as infection can lead to the complete destruction of the livestock. ASF also affects the investment attractiveness of the industry, as no compensation is provided for industrial producers.
2. What is the difference between lethality and mortality in the case of ASF?
Lethality is the percentage of deaths among sick animals, and mortality is the percentage of deaths among the entire livestock. For example, if the mortality rate is 90%, this does not mean that 90% of the entire herd will die in two weeks. In reality, the mortality rate may be much lower due to the slow spread of the virus.
3. What are the main risk factors for the spread of ASF?
The virus has low contagiousness, meaning it spreads slowly. The main risk factors include:
- Movement of infected animals.
- Trade in contaminated products.
- Failure to comply with biosecurity measures on farms.
- Contact with wild pigs.
4. Why did the ‘African swine fever paradox’ arise?
Previously, it was believed that ASF was a highly contagious disease that quickly leads to the death of the entire herd. However, modern observations have shown that the virus spreads slowly, and the death of pigs can occur without obvious clinical signs. As a result, farms often fail to notice the disease in the early stages, making it difficult to control.
5. How can enterprises build an effective ASF protection system?
The main protection measures include:
- Strict biosecurity control (disinfection, restriction of access of unauthorised persons, feed control).
- Monitoring of animal health and rapid response to the first symptoms.
- Prohibiting the movement of animals in the event of an outbreak.
- Cooperation with veterinary services for the prompt detection and elimination of the disease.
The online course ‘African Swine Fever - Everything Businesses Need to Know’ will provide participants with detailed information on the disease's spread, diagnostic methods and best biosecurity practices. The training involves completing tasks after each module, and upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a certificate.
Registration is free! Follow the link to join: https://courses.agriacademy.org/courses/course-v1:FAO+ASF+2024Q4/about.
The Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders is a non-profit, voluntary organisation founded by domestic pork producers. The main goals of the association are to represent and protect the rights and interests of the association's farms, promote the development and implementation of new technologies for efficient pork production, expand sales markets, and protect the domestic market.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) aims to reduce poverty and hunger in the world by developing agriculture, improving nutrition and addressing food security (access to food for all at all times). It was founded in Quebec on 16 October 1945. Its motto is ‘Helping to build a world without hunger’.
AgriAcademy is a digital educational space for the exchange of knowledge and skills in agribusiness. The platform aims to improve the Ukrainian agribusiness community's access to professional skills, successful business cases and innovative solutions that meet modern market challenges.