November 22, 2023

More than 200 pigs from Denmark allowed to enter Mexico

Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has approved the safe import of 220 pigs from Denmark.

Prior to this development, the animals had been inspected by Mexican officials in Denmark. Senasica veterinarians traveled to the country to verify the sanitary condition of the pigs, a move that minimised the risk of introducing exotic pests or diseases.

The 160 females and 60 males of the Yorkshire, Landrace, Duroc and Pietrain breeds, between eight and 16 weeks of age, were then transferred to breeding farms in Jalisco, Mexico, after their arrival and inspection.

Years earlier, Mexico's National Service for Agri-Food Health, Safety and Quality (Senasica) and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (DVFA) reached an agreement to import Danish live pigs for breeding into Mexico under the Verification at Origin scheme in 2014.

In 2015, the first import of 27 Danish animals to Mexico took place and since then, Denmark has sent 1,552 pigs to the country.

For years, Mexican and Danish veterinary services have been exchanging technical and scientific knowledge on preventive programmes to reduce the risk of introducing pig outbreaks and diseases.

Mexican specialists have attended training courses in Denmark on issues related to the health and safety of swine production, as well as the actions taken by the Danish health authority to reduce the risk of African swine fever entering its territory.

- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Mexico)