Deadly diseases sweeping through China's hog farms
CHINA - "Pig Fever" is sweeping through the expanding Chinese swine industry, according to swine veterinarians who have traveled there this fall.University of Nottingham, England, swine veterinarians Steven McOrist and Stan Done observed the outbreak first-hand during a recent visit to China's swine veterinary centers.
China's hog industry is "rapidly consolidating" on a scale similar to that in the U.S., McOrist says. This includes the segmentation of farrowing and finishing, with 500- to 1,000-head sow barns and "routine off-site finishing" popping up around Chinese cities.
Comprising a possible combination of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and other diseases, this year's "Pig Fever" outbreak has swept through this growing number of Chinese finishing facilities, resulting in more than 1 million culls.
Source: Agriculture