February 1, 2012
Germany culls 2,400 pigs amid chloramphenicol contamination
About 2,400 pigs in Germany were culled for chloramphenicol contamination caused by tainted feeds.
The contamination of pigs was discovered last week when chloramphenicol residues were found in urine samples, causing the temporal closure of 26 pig farms. Some of the farms have since been tested negative while chloramphenicol was found in feed in other farms.
The meat of culled pigs was found to be contaminated and hence cannot be sold. A farm, with about 1,300 pigs, is currently under investigation.
The contamination problem has spread geographically since last week. Last week's early cases concerned pig farms in the southern German region of Allgäu. A public prosecutor confirmed that the contaminated pig feed has also been found in the region of Günzburg, just north of Allgäu. Eight pig finisher farms haven been closed temporarily.
The source of the chloramphenicol, banned in the EU since 1994, comes from dairy product manufacturer, Ehrmann. The company used chloramphenicol as part of a laboratory safety procedure. Feeds were tainted by the substance due to careless treatment of laboratory waste.
