Movement Restrictions for Blue-Ear Disease in Pigs not yet Lifted

The Minister of Agriculture of the Western Cape, Mr Cobus Dowry, today confirmed that the movement restrictions that were instituted to prevent the spread of Blue-ear disease in pigs in the Western Cape will remain in place until all pigs from infected farms have been slaughtered and sufficient time has elapsed to ensure eradication of the virus from infected premises.

Mr Dowry said that the removal and slaughter of pigs from the infected properties in Phillippi, Jacobsdal, Atlantis and Vredenburg would be completed by Friday 3 September 2004. A total of 924 pigs from infected farms have been slaughtered at Maitland abattoir. The districts of Stellenbosch, Paarl, Malmesbury, the Cape Metropolitan Area, Vredenburg and Hopefield will however remain under restrictions for movement of pigs until the surveillance by his Department to ensure that there are no remaining infected properties in these areas, are completed. The temporary ban that was placed on the auction of pigs in these areas has been widened to include the Vredenburg and Hopefield districts. This ban will remain in place until further notice. Pigs will only be allowed to move from non-infected properties for direct slaughter at a registered abattoir with a red cross permit obtained from a state veterinarian of the Department of Agriculture.

Mr Dowry expressed his satisfaction and appreciation with the cooperation of the farmers who sacrificed their animals for slaughter to get rid of the disease. Funds were made available by the national Department of Agriculture to buy all the remaining pigs from infected properties at market related prices. All these farmers had to sign an undertaking that their premises will be disinfected and that they will only commence with restocking after a period of 6 weeks to allow sufficient time for inactivation of the virus. He emphasised his empathy with farmers who have suffered losses as a result of the unfortunate outbreak of the disease. He already had a meeting with a representative group of farmers in Jacobsdal to discuss proposals on how his Department can assist the affected farmers to resume with their farming activities once the disease has been finally contained and eradicated.

Enquiries:Alie van Jaarsveld
Media Spokesperson
Ministry: Agriculture - Western Cape
Cell: 084 6046701