According to Tu, investigators ruled out people, vehicles, and animals from outside the farm as potential vectors of infection. The most probable source, experts concluded, was improperly sterilized food waste that had been used as pig feed.
The official investigation confirmed this conclusion: pigs fed with unsterilized food waste had a significantly higher mortality rate than those fed with standard compound feed. Moreover, another farm that used waste from the same source—but properly sterilized it—reported no ASF cases.
Agriculture Minister Chen Junne-jih reminded that Taiwan’s central government has long discouraged the use of food waste in pig feed. However, over time, local authorities began issuing permits to farmers, provided they uploaded photos proving that the waste was heated above 90°C for at least one hour.
In the case of the Taichung farm, serious violations were uncovered. The farmer failed to submit any proof of sterilization from May through September, then in October uploaded multiple photos with falsified dates. Prosecutors have launched an investigation.
In response, the Ministry of Agriculture announced stricter controls. Farmers are now required to upload proof of sterilization immediately after processing food waste, and local authorities must carry out scheduled inspections without delay. Regulatory amendments are also being prepared.
Chen added that the possibility of a full ban on using food waste as pig feed will be considered later, but if such a decision is made, farmers will be given time to adapt.
The ASF Command Center reported that the outbreak has been contained, with no new cases detected at other farms, slaughterhouses, or markets. The government’s 15-day ban on pig slaughter and transportation may be lifted once the current term expires if no new infections are confirmed.
In May, Taiwan became the first country in Asia to self-declare itself free of African swine fever, classical swine fever, and foot-and-mouth disease. If no new ASF cases occur in the next three months, the country could regain its ASF-free status.
Genetic analysis showed that the ASF strain found on the Taichung farm is closely related to those previously identified in China and Vietnam.
PigUA.info based on focustaiwan.tw