African swine fever outbreak in Vicar diocese

This is the second outbreak of the disease in the Valmiera region in less than a week and the third in Latvia this summer.

Disease control and containment measures are being implemented in the affected sheds. To eliminate the focus of the outbreak and prevent further spread of the outbreak, pigs in the sheds will be culled.

PVD calls on domestic pig owners to carefully follow biosecurity requirements – mandatory change of clothes and shoes after working in the field and before entering the pig house, do not feed pigs green fodder, fruits and vegetables from the garden. The rolling parts of agricultural machinery must be disinfected before entering the site!

“The ACM virus is invisible, but it can be present anywhere wild boars go – at the edge of the forest, in gardens, in hay meadows, on roads that pass by houses. The virus does not get into the pig pens. Outbreaks usually start around hay, when there is a lot of activity on the fields – tractors driving around, machinery used for grain handling and processing. “Tractors carry the virus from the fields to other farm activities, where people forget to be careful and cautious,” says Kristine Lamberga, director of the PVD’s veterinary supervision department.

“That’s why we always emphasize and remind people – only by complying with biosecurity can we protect domestic pigs from getting sick! First of all, change your shoes and clothes when entering the pig house,” explained Lambega.

The biggest threat to the health of domestic pigs is wild boars, whose numbers have increased rapidly in recent years. Pig farmers in Madona, Jēkabpils, Valmiera, Cēsi, Limbažu, Gulbene, Aizkraukle, Dobele, Ogre and Tukuma counties should be particularly careful at this time, as the highest number of wild boars infected with African swine fever have been found in these areas.