July 24, 2009

The National Pig Association in the UK promised to take "whatever action is necessary" to stop weaner pigs being shipped to Britain from Europe.

 

The group fears the trade poses major health risks to the British herd, including the threat of the drug-resistant superbug MRSA and Classical Swine Fever (CSF).

 

The association said pig producers from Holland and Belgium are looking to export young pigs to Britain to take advantage of a current price differential of around GBP20 per animal.

 

NPA chairman Stewart Houston said the association was in the process of rolling out an endemic disease pig health improvement plan intended to improve the health of the national herd.

 

He said "uncontrolled imports without knowledge of the endemic disease status not only puts that scheme at risk, but puts the whole of UK pig production at risk from endemic diseases we haven't got."

 

As MRSA is widely found in Dutch and Belgian pigs, the NPA said the biggest concern was imported pigs could introduce it to Britain, which is expected to be confirmed as free from the superbug later this year.

 

The NPA is also wary of CSF and other diseases and the group will meet would-be importers and exporters to agree strict procedures. Houston however stressed unregulated trade would be "very damaging" for the British pig industry.

 

The NPA's campaign is being supported by Compassion in World Farming, which said "live imports of recently weaned piglets mean long journeys with poor welfare".