October 6, 2006
 

Exotic diseases in porcine creatures can be curbed
 

According to estimates, a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak would cost Australian rural industries more than US$13 billion over a ten-year period, incurring up to 70 percent losses in the first year.

Such an exotic diseases (ED) outbreak could severely affect Australia's international trade of livestock and products as this would create an access barrier to high value markets, resulting in loss of production, market share, and increased eradication and control costs.

A study was conducted to assess factors likely to influence the spread of ED in pigs within the Sydney region by Blackwell Publishing in the October 2006 issue of Australian Veterinary Journal.

Researchers collected vendor and purchaser details by attending two sale yards in the Sydney region over a 12-month period and mapped out the pig producer locations.

In addition, pig farmers on the Department of Primary Industries' temporary brand register were made to record their management practices and knowledge of exotic pig diseases. Swine brands were also inspected to determine their quality as a tracing mechanism.

Australia was found to be free of major epidemic diseases of livestock, and relatively free of other serious animal diseases, noted Nicole Schembri, lead author from the University of Sydney.

He attributed it to the strict quarantine protocols, early detection and timely responses to curbing the spread of exotic diseases if and when they did occur.

One of the more likely ways that ED in pigs might be introduced in the country is via illegal import of meat products contaminated with virus. The routine nature of international travel, volume of legally imported foodstuff and the difficulty of uniformly policing quarantine regulations increase the risk of ED.

Schembri said  reducing the risk can be achieved through  increased regulatory presence, proper identification of pigs, vendors and purchasers, as well as educating buyers.