November 7, 2024

Italy nears 100,000 swine culls in 2024 due to ASF outbreak

Northern Italy is approaching the grim milestone of 100,000 swine culls in 2024 because of African swine fever (ASF), according to a report by UKR AgroConsult.

The spread of ASF in Italy has intensified this year, with infections rising to 31 swine farms.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has reported that 2024 marks the most severe year for ASF outbreaks in Italy since genotype II of the virus first appeared in the country in 2022, initially in wild boars and later among domestic swine. The ongoing culls have been concentrated in a designated high-risk zone in Northern Italy, spanning areas across four regions.

In Lombardy, Italy's primary swine-producing region, 22 farms were confirmed ASF-positive in 2024. This led to the culling of nearly 75,000 swine in line with European Union regulations. Most infected farms in Lombardy were in the province of Pavia (14 cases), with additional outbreaks in the provinces of Lodi (6 cases) and Milano (2 cases). Recent outbreaks in September and October are still under review by WOAH, and further data on culls is expected to raise the toll.

Most affected farms are commercial facilities, with the largest among them housing 19,615 swine at the time of infection, according to WOAH data.

The neighbouring northern region of Piedmont also faced heavy losses, reporting 23,626 swine culled across eight infected farms in 2024.

Beyond northern Italy, ASF genotype II has been detected sporadically across four other regions of the country over the past two years. However, WOAH data indicates that the ASF situation outside the north remains largely contained and stable.

-      Farm Journal's Pork