A suspected outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) has occurred in Damongo, the capital of the Savannah Region, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of pigs in the municipality. The affected communities include Canteen, Attributu, Boroto, and Sori Number One, among others. To prevent the spread of the disease, some farmers have begun to slaughter and bury sick pigs, as well as properly dispose of those that have already died.
Despite the popularity of pork as a delicacy both locally and internationally, recent outbreaks have significantly affected pig farmers, many of whom are still recovering from a previous outbreak in 2023. Some affected farmers, speaking to MyJoyOnline.com, expressed their frustration over the devastating impact of these recurring outbreaks on their businesses. “In the last outbreak, I lost about thirty fully grown pigs. As if that wasn’t enough, all my newly farrowed piglets—around forty in total—also died. Now, I don’t know how to prevent this from happening again, as the four pigs I recently bought all died just last week,” said Amatus Azuri.
Another farmer, Agnes Beyuo, stated that she is considering stepping away from pig farming altogether. “Business is about profit, and sometimes you have to endure losses. But if this disease keeps hitting us without any relief, I might take a five-year break and observe the industry before deciding my next step,” she remarked. The West Gonja Municipal Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Enouch Sarkodie-Addo, confirmed that the outbreak was due to African Swine Fever.
He urged pig farmers to adopt biosecurity measures and shift towards intensive farming rather than the semi-intensive system widely practiced in the affected areas. “The best solution is strict biosecurity and intensive farming because, unfortunately, there are no vaccines available for ASF yet, although research is ongoing,” Dr. Sarkodie-Addo advised.
He explained that affected pigs typically exhibit erythema (reddening of the skin), a symptom that was not very prominent in the previous outbreak. “One major indicator of ASF is the sudden and unexpected death of seemingly healthy animals. When pigs fail to respond to generic treatment and start dying suddenly, it raises serious concerns,” he added.
By: Isaac Nongya