Suspected swine fever kills 200 pigs

SUSPECTED African Swine Fever (ASF) has broken out in Chief Macha’s area in Choma District in Southern Province, and has killed more than 200 pigs since January this year.
This barely comes two weeks after Government, through Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, lifted the ban on movement of pigs and pork products in the province.
In December last year, Government banned the movement of pigs and pork products in the province to prevent the spread of ASF which was recorded in Lusaka where about 9,700 pigs on 47 farms were slaughtered.
Provincial veterinary officer Charles Maseka said the department could not confirm whether the pigs were dying as a result of a fresh outbreak of ASF.
Dr Maseka said in an interview that when the department received a report on pigs dying in Chief Macha’s area, veterinary officers were immediately dispatched to the area to collect blood samples.
He said the samples were collected from the pigs and taken to Lusaka for assessment.
“Yes, we received a report of pigs dying in Chief Macha’s area but we can’t rule out that it’s obviously ASF outbreak, we have to wait for the results from the samples we collected on pigs that had died.
“Right now, I am just waiting for the results to come, may be today so that we know what disease is killing these pigs and give appropriate treatment,” he said.
Chief Macha also said in an interview yesterday that a total of 213 pigs had died from the alleged disease from January to date.
“Our pigs are dying almost every day and already a total of 213 pigs have been killed by this suspected ASF.
“I have contacted both the provincial and district veterinary officers to come and examine the root cause of death for our pigs,” he said.
The traditional leader said the officers from the Choma District veterinary department last week collected blood samples from the pigs which had died.
Chief Macha complained that the huge number of pigs dying on a daily basis was alarming and had affected the rearing of pigs in the chiefdom.