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The Polish veterinary authorities have confirmed the presence of ASF on a commercial pig farm with more than 23,000 head (6,904 sows, 16,037 piglets, 776 pigs and 29 boars) located in Niedoradz (commune of Otyń, poviat Nowosolski) in the Lubuskie voivodship in the west of the country.
The first cases of ASF in Lubuskie voivodship appeared in November, affecting only wild boar, making an important geographical leap, since before, ASF cases in the country were found in the east, over 300 km away (see map).
From November 2019 to date, 146 cases of ASF have been confirmed in wild boar in the area where the farm is located.
Following the immediate investigation, the Polish authorities reported that during the month of March five movements of piglets were recorded having left this farm to go to other farms within Poland, which have now been placed under official surveillance. In addition, on March 17, 93 sows were moved from this farm to a slaughterhouse and the meat of these animals has been seized and properly disposed in a rendering plant.
It is worth noting the proximity of this area to the border with Germany (approximately 12 km), with the consequent risk of incursion of the disease into German territory. The outbreak of the disease in Germany would have a huge economic impact on the European pig sector because Germany would see its exports reduced, resulting in an oversupply that would pull down pig prices across the EU. Since the first outbreaks of ASF in wild boar populations in western Poland were reported, the German authorities have strengthened prevention measures against the disease, working closely with the Polish authorities to implement measures in the affected area, and also by implementing measures on the German side of the border that were mainly aimed at increasing surveillance, improving biosecurity and reducing the wild boar population density in the area.
March 23, 2020 /GIW/ Poland.
www.wetgiw.gov.pl
