Cherkizovo reported an African swine fever outbreak at the sow farm in Lev Tolstovskiy district of the Lipetsk region of Russia.
African swine fever was confirmed at a sow farm, named Novochemodanovskoye, by Cherkizovo in a press release. A small number of sows were diagnosed with the disease. Preliminary examinations were conducted at the company’s research laboratory and on the same day the virus was confirmed by the local government’s veterinary services.
Cherkizovo's reaction to African swine fever
All infected animals were isolated. The African swine fever virus does not pose any threat to people.
Cherkizovo formed a crisis center to monitor the situation. Their information has been shared with the representatives of Rosselkhoznadzor and other government officials.
Meanwhile, the sow farm, which houses 1 percent of the company’s total pig stock, was quarantined. Such action will not have any effect on the current year’s production volume and the company’s other pork production sites are operating under normal conditions.
Ongoing problems with African swine fever in Eastern Europe
In 2016, Cherkizovo‘s total investment into biosafety of its facilities came close to 300 million rubles.
Cherkizovo is investigating the cause of African swine fever virus penetration as there had been a record number of ASF outbreaks in the Lipetsk region this year, posing a significant risk for pork production facilities at both local and national levels.
President Vladimir Putin has ordered that an action plan be developed by the end of the month aimed at eradicating the African swine fever.
