The South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO) began reporting outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the country’s commercial piggeries from November last year. Latest figures show that confirmed or suspected cases of FMD in such piggeries since then increased from seven in early February to 10 a month later. Although some piggeries have since recovered from their infections, there are reportedly still too few abattoirs approved to slaughter their animals.
By Lloyd Phillips, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
SAPPO’s latest report on FMD and African swine fever (ASF) states that confirmed or suspected cases of FMD in commercial piggeries now stand at two in the Free State, four in North West, three in KwaZulu-Natal and one in the Eastern Cape.
“All cases remain under official veterinary control in accordance with the Animal Diseases Act (Act No. 35 of 1984) and national disease control protocols.”
SAPPO explains that the national Department of Agriculture (NDA) has subsequently published amendments to requirements for the controlled slaughter of pigs from commercial piggeries that have recovered from FMD but that are still under quarantine or surveillance for potential further flare-ups of this virus.
Information from both the NDA and SAPPO explains that a state veterinarian initially designates a provisional Day 0 that is the first day that a commercial piggery experiences no signs whatsoever of fresh infection with FMD. Fourteen days later the state veterinarian again inspects to confirm that no virus is circulating in the piggery. Only then will the provisional Day 0 be made an official Day 0.
For an individual commercial piggery that is divided into various biosecure pig houses, of which only one or some contracted FMD while others did not, a state veterinarian may approve that pigs from these latter “clean houses” be sent for slaughter within the Day 0 to Day 14 period.
No Leaks from Pig Transport Vehicles
However, these pigs may only be transported, slaughtered and processed subject to stringent requirements and only at FMD-designated non-export abattoirs.
Transporting the live pigs from a commercial piggery recovering from FMD to such abattoirs requires vehicles that do not leak fluids or solids or aerosols, and that are suitable for thorough disinfection. The state does not clarify how transporters might prevent aerosols escaping the vehicles, given that live pigs require breathing air and ventilation.
As time goes by, the restrictions or requirements for the transporting, slaughtering and processing of pigs from piggeries previously infected with FMD gradually ease. However, even six months after a piggery’s Day 0, its pigs may only be slaughtered at a non-export abattoir and the meat from these pigs must undergo maturation.
Also read: Lack of FMD-designated abattoirs for pigs ‘most important factor’
African Farming has previously reported that there was initially only a single FMD-designated pig abattoir in South Africa. It is in the Free State and is only allowed to slaughter pigs from the previously FMD-infected commercial piggery situated on the same premises.
SAPPO’s latest update states: “Two [pig] abattoirs in KwaZulu-Natal have [recently] been approved for FMD designation, with additional facilities currently undergoing the approval process. SAPPO is engaging with provincial and national authorities to support and expedite FMD-designation processes to ensure the continuity of slaughter operations during FMD outbreaks.”
African Farming also previously reported on a commercial piggery manager’s developing animal welfare and economic challenges because her pig numbers and sizes were increasing while her piggery remained under quarantine for FMD. At that time, there was also no FMD-designated piggery to slaughter her approximately 1 800 pigs in excess of her piggery’s carrying capacity.
Also read: FMD | ‘I have no more tears left to cry’ – pig producer
Deboning too Costly
Catherine (not her real name as per her request) says she is relieved that KwaZulu-Natal now has two FMD-designated pig abattoirs. It is unfortunate, however, that the pig abattoir that has long slaughtered her pigs and with whom Catherine and her employer have a good business relationship has not yet received approval from the state as an FMD-designated abattoir.
“Our Day 0 has been confirmed as 30 January. We might have to send to the other abattoirs in the interim, but would obviously prefer our regular abattoir because they too are also facing huge financial losses.
“We’re still sitting with the excess pigs, but I think that with our management efforts, we are through the worst of the potential overcrowding risk of earlier on. We’re going to wait until 13 March, or six weeks from our Day 0, to start sending our pigs to abattoirs because then the carcasses no longer must be deboned.
“You lose a lot of money on each carcass if it must be deboned.”
SAPPO says it has commissioned further research into the persistence of the FMD virus in various parts of a pig’s carcass. The results will hopefully support scientifically informed reductions in the state’s existing restrictive timelines for piggeries that have recovered from FMD.
Meanwhile, the four confirmed outbreaks of ASF in commercial piggeries in Gauteng since November have now increased to five. More than 30 000 pigs have had to be culled as a result. SAPPO continues to work with state animal health authorities with responding to and managing this disease.
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