Belgian government buys pig farms - 366 farms participate
The Belgian government is buying pig farming businesses in order to reduce nitrogen emissions. More than 360 farms are participating.
A new study published in the scientific journal Genome Biology and Evolution from the University of Oxford has confirmed that the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus currently circulating in Europe has been present since 2007, rather than recently introduced, as reported by National Hog Farmer magazine.
The spread of the ASF virus is likely due to travelers who have covered long distances within Europe.
A research team examined samples from domestic and wild boars in Lithuania and sequenced the complete genomes of the ASF virus. The analysis revealed that the ASF virus circulating in Europe, Genotype II, shares a common ancestor with viruses found in Africa. However, there was no evidence of a recent exchange of viruses between continents.
The genetic sequences of samples from Europe are very similar. Countries such as Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Germany are mainly responsible for the spread of the virus in Europe. It is likely that travelers who have covered long distances within Europe are carriers of the virus.
Meanwhile, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has established new standards for ASF vaccines. These vaccines must be proven safe, meaning they should not cause any lasting or severe clinical signs in vaccinated pigs, harm the environment, or contain wild ASF viruses. They must effectively reduce the severity of the disease, limit virus transmission, and confer immunity to the animal. Additionally, the vaccines must match the circulating ASF genotype in each region.
According to the OIE, the success of ASF control depends on using high-quality, safe, and effective vaccines. Ineffective vaccines could further spread the disease, lead to resistance, or create new virus strains that are even harder to control.