ASF gets ever closer

African swine fever has been found in a herd of outdoor pigs in Germany close to the French border.

This outbreak is over 500km from the cases in wild boar in the west of Germany and the jump is likely due to human movement rather than transmission via wildlife.

The whole herd has been culled and investigations are ongoing as to whether there has been any spread of ASF from the infected pigs.

The outbreak is another stark reminder that the disease can move easily and quickly and protecting the UK herd from a notifiable disease outbreak should be a priority for Government.

NPA Senior Policy Adviser, Rebecca Veale, said: “This case of ASF in Germany and the recent move in Italy to Rome show how the disease has no consideration for borders or distance because the virus can survive for very long periods of time in meat and meat products.

“This presents a very real risk UK to producers without import checks being introduced in July, something we highlighted when we wrote to the Prime Minister this week.”

NPA continues to call for import checks to be introduced before 2023 and highlight the disease risk from ASF the UK pig industry is exposed to without such checks at every opportunity.

The risk posed to UK pigs is classed as medium, the highest it can be without a disease outbreak.

Read the attest situation update (May 9, 2022) and advice from Defra here.

NPA has put together a contingency planning template and guidance on ASF for members – see the Members' Area for the guidance and email  for a copy of the contingency planning guidance.