African Swine Fever: Learnings from China & The Role of Feed in the Transmission of Viral Disease

Aug 16, 2021

African Swine Fever (ASF) continues to be the largest threat to global swine production in modern times. The swine industry in China has been forced to evolve to deal with this crisis and recovery is well underway. However, the risk of infection is ever present not only in China but in many other parts of the world where swine production is dominant.

In this webinar, we will hear from leading experts Dr. Wayne Johnson from Enable AgTech Consulting based in Beijing and Dr. Scott Dee from Pipestone Veterinary Services, USA along with leading swine scientist, Dr. Heng-Xiao Zhai from DSM who will be sharing insights into how the swine industry in China in particular is recovery from ASF and what the recent research is supporting around risk mitigation strategies to prevent further spread.

What you will learn:

ASF – How does the Chinese swine industry look today and how has the industry evolved in recent years to overcome the ASF crisis
Strategies to mitigate the risk of viral spread
Special focus on the role of feed as a potential viral vector
Examples of how swine producers can reduce the risk of viral disease transmission through feed

Source : DSM

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.