North Provincial Veterinary Services placed a Doornhoek farm in the North West under quarantine on Wednesday following an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF).
The North West Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development Department has dispatched a team of veterinarians and animal health technicians.
According to the South African Pig Producers Organization (SAPPO), in order to “determine the extent of the spread, veterinary authorities within the department are currently hard at work on the ground contacting all neighbouring farms to ensure that the outbreak is dealt with”.
SAPPO said the virus was indigenous to wildlife and could only be transmitted by contact with infected wildlife.
Government has advised pig keepers throughout South Africa to proceed with extreme caution when purchasing or feeding pigs as the disease can be detrimental to their herd.
