African swine fever
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Author
Berg, Charlotte
Bøtner, Anette
Browman, Howard
De Koeijer, Aline
Domingo, Mariano
Ducrot, Christian
Edwards, Sandra
Fourichon, Christine
Koenen, Frank
More, Simon
Raj, Mohan
Sihvonen, Liisa
Spoolder, Hans
Stegeman, Jan Arend
Thulke, Hans-Hermann
Vågsholm, Ivar
Willeberg, Preben
Publication date
2015-07-14ISSN
1831-4732
Abstract
Since entering the eastern EU at the start of 2014, African swine fever (ASF) has spread locally in the
wild boar population, independently of outbreaks in domestic pigs. No correlation between the density
of the wild boar population and the case notification in an area has been observed. The source of
virus introduction appeared to be the low biosecurity level in backyard farms; yet, direct contact
between pigs and wild boar has not been reported. Potential wild boar management strategies aimed
at controlling ASF were evaluated. First, the published literature was searched for evidence of changes
in wild boar demography after implementing different management strategies. A reduction in a wild
boar population of more than 60 % as a result of conventional hunting has not been documented in
Europe. Secondly, during a consultation meeting, 30 experts identified different wild boar
management tools to indirectly combat ASF spread. In the third step, an epidemiological simulation
model was developed, to compare the effects of implementing individual or combinations of
management tools to control ASF. The model demonstrated that measures such as attempts to reduce
the wild boar populations more than 70 % would, in theory, be effective in controlling ASF, but in
practice would impossible to be achieved in one hunting season. On the other hand, conventional
management strategies, such as implementing a feeding ban or targeted hunting of females, can
effectively prevent the spread of ASF in the control area only after multiple years of application. The
model predicted that a combination of different tools, such as the exclusion of contact to carcasses
and the intensification of conventional hunting, reducing reproduction in the following year by 30-40%, would be effective to stop the spread of ASF in wild boar.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Published version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
636 - Animal husbandry and breeding in general. Livestock rearing. Breeding of domestic animals
Pages
101
Publisher
Wiley Open Access
Is part of
EFSA Journal
Citation
Berg, Charlotte, Anette Bøtner, Howard Browman, Aline De Koeijer, Mariano Domingo, Christian Ducrot, and Sandra Edwards et al. 2015. “Scientific opinion on African swine fever”. EFSA Journal 13(7):4163. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4163.
Program
Benestar Animal
Sanitat Animal
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- ARTICLES CIENTÍFICS [2777]
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/