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USMEF official says changes will help China deal with ASF

A meat science expert says the African Swine Fever outbreak in China will require changes for most of their producers. Dr. Travis Arp with the U.S. Meat Export Federation tells Brownfield, “Really, it’s going to take a big consolidated effort across the entire hog industry in China for them to, I think, not only get rid of the disease but even to kind of wrap their arms around it an manage it a little bit better.”

Arp joined USMEF, European, and other officials at the 7^th U.S.-China Swine Industry Symposium earlier this month. He says China’s large hog farms usually don’t have the ASF outbreaks. “On the large, it’s been these small to intermediate-sized farms who just don’t have a good of biosecurity infrastructure, and as such, are just having a tougher time really controlling outbreaks within those farms.”

Arp says the ASF virus has been found in meat products but is also being spread through animal feed. “They’re seeing it pop up in feed products, anything that can get mixed into a hog ration. There are certain feed products where it can be more prevalent or can last for a longer period of time than others.”

And, although it’s unclear how long the virus can survive in certain feed products, he says it’s wise to be cautious about feed sources and step up biosecurity measures on the farm.