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African swine fever explained
Farmer's Weekly
|26 September - 3 October 2025
Dear Prof McCrindle, The newspapers reported on an outbreak of African swine fever in the Western Cape a few days ago.
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Some of my family live there and also farm pigs, so they are very scared. Is this a notifiable disease? I know it kills pigs, but is it also infectious for people who eat pork? How can we prevent an outbreak in our small-scale piggery near Pretoria? Pig Farmer, Pretoria
Dear Pig Farmer,
Recently, African swine fever outbreaks have been reported again for the first time in several years. It's characterised by very high mortalities, especially in piglets and weanlings.
Good news for you is that the outbreak is very far from Gauteng, and if the state veterinary services are involved, there is little likelihood that it will cause problems in Pretoria.
The main problem is that many small-scale farmers may not be aware of the risks.
This story is from the 26 September - 3 October 2025 edition of Farmer's Weekly.
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