Brazil Develops Contingency Plan for Classical Swine Fever
BRAZIL - Technicians from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), Embrapa and state veterinary officials have met to develop a monitoring a plan for classical swine fever (CSF) in wild boar in the country.In January 2013, IBAMA announced the slaughter of these animals for population control, and the group worked on a proposal for the standardisation of the transit of carcasses.
The conclusion of this work was presented on Friday 18 July by the Secretariat of Agricultural Protection (SDA), and according to the General Coordinator for Combating Diseases, Mrs Denise Euclydes, the study will subsidise the petition to be presented later this year to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), which seeks international recognition for the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina to be named as free of CSF areas.
"With this work presented by colleagues we will be able to show to the OIE that we know the dynamics of this wild boar population and that we have an effective surveillance system, so that if there is an episode of the disease in this population, it will not endanger the pig population business, because we will be prepared to act quickly," she says.
The veterinarian and researcher at Embrapa Swine and Poultry, Virginia Santiago Silva, commented that the work done by the staff was very productive. "It was a big challenge, but we work with a committed and skilled group to ensure today that the health situation of Brazil is more consistent with the procedures adopted," he said.
European wild boar
European wild boar is one of the best known species of wild pigs and an exotic animal to the Brazilian fauna. It was introduced in the country for commercial exploitation, but not developed, resulting in the release of the animals, in natural environments have become excessive.
The cross of the European wild boar with the domestic pig and dispersal over the national territory in the wild is considered harmful to native, environment, agriculture and livestock wild species.
They are large animals, the male may weigh between 130 and 250 pounds and females between 80 and 130 kilograms. Measured between 125 and 180 centimeters in length.