Published on Monday, 4 November 2019 at 1:47:31 PM
African Swine Fever (ASF) has recently been detected in Indonesia and Timor Leste which is only 700km from the Australian Northern Territory coast.
ASF is a disease affecting pigs and has crippled pork supplies recently in China and throughout Asia, with 200 million pigs being destroyed in China alone in an effort to control the spread of the disease. Australia does not have ASF – yet – and it is everyone’s responsibility especially in farming communities to be on the lookout, as prevention is critical and early detection in the case of a potential outbreak is extremely important.
If ASF was to enter Australia, the most likely route would be through people travelling from affected countries, and bringing in infected pork products, or the virus in dirt on their shoes and clothes.
Therefore it is a timely reminder to all pig famers or anyone that owns pigs not to feed their pigs with pig swill.
Swill is ANY kitchen refuse or scraps fed to pigs. Food businesses in Corrigin should not be supplying farmers scraps to feed pigs.
If you would like any further information on ASF, please contact Lauren Pitman at the shire on eho@corrigin.wa.gov.au.
NOTICED ANYTHING UNUSUAL? CALL THE EMERGENCY ANIMAL DISEASE HOTLINE 1800 675 888
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