Serbian veterinary authorities have started culling approximately 11,000 pigs at a farm in the village of Hrtkovci, western Serbia, following the confirmation of an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak. The information was reported by the Tanjug news agency, citing Serbian Minister of Agriculture Dragan Glamocic.
According to the minister, the culling operation is expected to take several days. He stressed that the animals are being humanely euthanised and safely disposed of in accordance with veterinary regulations.
The Serbian government will compensate the farm owners for the losses resulting from the compulsory culling.
Serbia is currently dealing with several active ASF outbreaks, with the western part of the country remaining the most affected region.
Over the past two months alone, thousands of pigs have already been culled in the Mačva region, which borders Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, as part of efforts to contain the disease.
Experts remind that African swine fever poses no risk to human health, but it is a highly contagious disease affecting domestic pigs and wild boar. As there is currently no effective vaccine or treatment, rapid detection, strict biosecurity measures, and the prompt culling of infected animals remain the primary tools for controlling the disease.
PigUA.info, based on Reuters