VMVT detects an outbreak of ASF on a pig farm in Panevėžys district

By:

VMVT 2025-10-12 09:40:50 Comments: 0

The diagnosis was confirmed on 7 October following tests carried out by the National Institute of Food and Veterinary Risk Assessment.The pig keeper reported the disease to the veterinarian, who took the samples.

After laboratory confirmation of the presence of an ASF outbreak on the farm, the State Food and Veterinary Service (SVVT) has established a 3 km protection zone and a 10 km surveillance zone around the farm. The pigs kept on the farm have been killed and primary disinfection has been carried out.

The HPAI is currently inspecting all pig holdings within the restricted zones around the outbreak. Most of the holdings within the protection zone are small and are used for subsistence farming, but there is also a pig production complex with over 2 000 pigs.This complex is also subject to restrictions on the movement and trade of pigs and export bans.

„We regularly check the biosecurity of pig farms. This year, out of 201 pig farms, we detected infringements of biosecurity measures in 75 animal housing units and applied enforcement measures. But an inspector cannot be on duty at every farm. The keepers themselves need to be aware that their irresponsibility is detrimental to the country as a whole, to exports – and therefore to themselves, both directly and indirectly. The ASF virus is brought in from nature by pig farmers themselves. At the moment, the mushroom picking season is still active and people are visiting the forest where the virus is circulating actively, so this outbreak is also a possible consequence of a lack of biosecurity and hygiene when visiting pigs," said Žydrūnas Vaišvila, Advisor to the Surveillance Department of the MoHVT.

Specialists from the State Food and Veterinary Service recommend that pig keepers stay out of forests and avoid areas where there may be signs of wild boar.

Pig keepers should change their clothes and boots before entering a pig holding area, disinfect, and monitor the pigs' health.

[[youtube=19eK4zpjmb8]]