Swine fever threat prompts chief vet to issue warning on pig feed

The spread of African swine fever across eastern and central Europe has led to a reminder being issued to UK pig keepers – both commercial and pet – not to feed kitchen scraps to their animals as this could risk an outbreak of this and similar diseases.

The warning comes after the risk level for African swine fever entering Britain was raised over the summer, following spread of infection in Eastern and Central Europe.

Issuing the reminder yesterday, the Scottish Government’s chief vet, Sheila Voas, said that while there has never been a case of African swine fever in the UK and it does not affect humans, it is potentially fatal to pigs.

“If the disease were to

0 Warning issued over threat of swine fever for Scots pigs reach the UK it could have a devastating effect on our export market and would also mean the humane culling of pigs on infected premises to prevent further spread,” she warned.

She said that keepers should remember that it is illegal to feed catering waste of any description or domestic food waste to farm animals in the UK, including pigs kept as pets, adding that this had been the cause of some of the outbreaks of African swine fever in Europe.

Voas added that viruses suchasfootandmouthdisease could also be introduced to the UK through food products – including vegetarian kitchens – as there was still a risk of cross contamination from products of animal origin such as milk.

Stating that no food should be consumed near pigs either, she said that such was the threat that anyone in contact with pigs should wash their hands both before and after eating or preparing food.