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Has the Spread of African Swine Fever in the European Union Been Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic?

Abstract: Has the Spread of African Swine Fever in the European Union Been Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic?

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, listed as notifiable by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). It causes substantial economic losses to pig farming in the affected countries, with consequent enormous damage to livestock production due to mortality of the animals, and to the restrictions on national and international trade in pigs and derivative products that the presence of the infection implies. To prevent or reduce the risk of ASF introduction, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the OIE recommend preventive and control measures, such as the ban of live swine and their products traded from ASF-affected to ASF-free countries or zones. The current spread of ASF into Europe poses a serious risk to the industrialized and small-scale pig sector, as demonstrated by observed cases in different EU areas. In this paper the authors discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ASF, and the indirect effects including the impact on animal health and disease management.

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Sterkholm Farms - The next generation of GEA DairyRotor T8900 rotary parlour

Video: Sterkholm Farms - The next generation of GEA DairyRotor T8900 rotary parlour


Sterkholm Farms in Embro, Ontario, operates a 60 stalls DairyRotor T8900. This new generation of rotary parlour features the new, modern, easy-to-use Digitron milking control unit and the all-new high-precision DigiFlow flow-through milk meter. Brian Morton, Territory Manager in Ontario and Atlantic Provinces, explains the benefits of these two devices that bring GEA DairyRotors to a next level of performance and efficiency.

>> Apply up to 750 lbs/ac at 10 mph – 70+ acres per hour
>> Optional Drop tubes on 30-inch spacing
>> High speed = higher application rates
>> Tighter fold for the best visibility