African swine fever is a highly contagious and fatal viral disease in domestic pigs.
Wayanad (Kerala):
The slaughter of pigs to prevent the spread of African swine fever in Kerala’s Wayanad district, where it was recently reported, began on Sunday after facing some opposition from a farmer who was hit by the government’s decision .
The sub-collector of Manantwadi, where the disease was reported from two farms, said the farmer in question and others were convinced to cooperate with the cutting process by showing them test reports received from the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal. was. Samples were sent.
The Deputy Collector, who is coordinating the Kalinga operation, further said that the affected farmer, who has 360 pigs, was informed that measures should be taken as per the national protocol to prevent the spread of the disease to other areas or farms. leaving and he agrees. to cooperate with the process.
He also said that the process of compensation for the affected farmers would be expedited.
The pigs tested positive for the disease in two farms in Manantavadi area of Wayanad district, with all the animals in one farm dying of African swine fever, the official said.
Kalinga work started on Sunday in the second field and would be completed within a week, he said.
Earlier in the day, the owner of a farm with 360 pigs told a TV channel that he did not believe the animals on his farm were infected because the pig that tested positive did not appear to be ill.
He had said that he wanted the government to wait and see for a few days and then decide whether to kill the pigs or not.
A representative of a farmers union in Wayanad district had also told a TV channel that since the pigs tested positive were still healthy, the authorities should probably wait for a few more days and then proceed.
He had also said that a representation to this effect has been made to the authorities.
Kerala Animal Husbandry Minister J Chinchoo Rani on Friday confirmed the infection in the state and directed pig farms to strictly implement biosafety and waste disposal mechanisms under the Swine Fever Action Plan.
The disease was confirmed in the pigs of both the farms after the sample was tested in Bhopal’s lab.
According to the test results, the state government had extended the ban on inter-state sale and transport of pigs and pig-related products.
Kerala tightened biosecurity measures earlier this month after the Center alerted that African swine fever was reported in Bihar and some northeastern states.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), African swine fever is a highly contagious and fatal viral disease of domestic pigs.
It was first detected in Kenya, East Africa in 1921 as a disease that killed settler pigs. Contact with warthogs proved to be a significant factor in the transmission of the virus.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)