African Swine Fever reported at three pig farms in Prachuap Khiri Khan

Provincial livestock authorities in Prachuap Khiri Khan discovered three pig farms in Muang and Thap Sakae districts were infected with African Swine Fever. The reports come in the midst of a pork price crisis said to be driven by an outbreak of the highly contagious and deadly viral disease of pigs.

117 pigs from the three farms altogether had to be slaughtered and buried to limit the virus from spreading. If farms with fewer than 50 pigs were found to be infected, all the pigs would be slaughtered. For larger farms, only pigs in the pens infected by the virus would be slaughtered.

The three areas had been declared ASF-hit and pig movements prohibited within a five-kilometre radius of the respective farms. Provincial livestock office chief Yutthira Banthukul said that farmers at larger farms raised pigs in a closed system. Smaller farms have a higher risk of diseases spreading, and have to take stricter protective measures, he says. Chief Yutthira says compensation had been paid to the farmers at 75% of the market price. He added that veterinarians were inspecting pigs within a one-kilometre radius of the farms, collecting samples for laboratory tests.

Countries around the world have had panics over animals contracting diseases, most recently with Covid-19. Last week, 2,000 hamsters at a pet shop in Hong Kong had to be culled because 11 rodents in the shop caught Covid-19. This has drawn concerns from animal rights activists.

Source: Bangkok Post