Fears over pigs risk as disease spreads

Highly-Pathogenic Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, or HP-PRRS as it is commonly known, has already hit pig herds in several countries in Asia.

Originating in the Malaysian peninsula, the disease has since spread as far a Southern Russia and can lead to a 100 per cent mortality rate in young stock.

Now Stephen Curtis, chairman of Yorkshire pig breeding company ACMC, is warning of the potentially devastating effects if the disease enters the UK.

Mr Curtis, whose company does a great deal of work in the Far East, said that in his opinion the disease could potentially be as devastating as foot and mouth if it were to enter this country.

He is worried that it could find its way into the UK herd through illegal import of exotic meat products.

Mr Curtis, whose pig breeding company is based at Driffield in East Yorkshire, commented: "I have seen the effects first-hand in Cambodia – 20 to 30 per cent mortality in breeding sows, up to 100 per cent stillbirths, 80 per cent abortions and up to 100 per cent deaths in piglets.

"Stock boars that don't die become infertile and semen is unusable for an extended period. Six months production is lost.

"It could virtually destroy the UK industry."

The large geographic jumps which HP-PRRS has made are thought to have been aided by trade movements and Mr Curtis said that UK pigs were unlikely to have immunity through cross-protection and current vaccines are not fully effective.

Mr Curtis believes that border controls are still very lax for imported meat, with only a few trained search dogs at major airports.

"Live animal imports from Europe would become a greater risk if this disease moves closer to such countries as Denmark and Belgium," he said.

He suggests that the industry should draw up its own code of practice, with processors not offering contracts to, or purchasing pigs from, producers who import animals or semen into their herds – as happens in Eire.

Untreated food waste that goes into landfill sites could also pose a risk through birds such as seagulls transporting infected meat. He believes swill-feeding should be re-introduced as a safer alternative. Food waste should be separated, properly treated at specially-controlled processing plants then safely fed as high-quality swill. In addition to reducing the disease risk, this would be a greener alternative.

The Yorkshire Post approached the UK Border Agency for comment but received no reply.