March 10, 2006

Disease killing thousands of piglets in New Zealand

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) in New Zealand says it cannot confirm that the disease killing thousands of piglets in Canterbury came in when pig feed regulations lapsed.

Vets are investigating up to 10 farms close to Christchurch because of a wasting virus sweeping through the area.

Post-weaning Multi-systemic Wasting Syndrome (PMWS), is suspected. PMWS is a highly contagious viral disease that kills young pigs but poses no threat to human health.

Regulations over what pigs could be fed lapsed at the end of 1998.

MAF animal surveillance manager, Ron Thornton, says the Ministry does not know what causes the disease, or how widespread it is. New Zealand's Government said that it would not step in with a culling plan because it is not viable.

The pork industry says it is close to ending an outbreak of PMWS on farms in the South Auckland-North Waikato region and there have been calls for the Government to step in with a similar campaign in Canterbury.

However, Ron Thornton of the Biosecurity Authority says while the pork industry has been successful in eradicating known cases, it is possible the disease exists undetected on other North Island farms and may have also been in the South Island for some time.

Mr Thornton said that from MAF's investigations into PMWS, it had concluded that trying to eradicate the disease is simply not viable. Pig farmers have to learn to live with it and manage it, he added.