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Germany is entering the next phase to eradicate African swine fever from its wild boar population. In the 1st “white zone†in East Germany, wild boar hunting is about to resume.
A white zone is a specific, double-fenced zone around the 1st core area, in which the African swine fever virus has been detected in the local wild boar population since September. The 1st The core zone lies partly in the districts of Oder-Spree and Spree-Neisse, both in the federal state of Brandenburg in eastern Germany. Once the area has been fully isolated, the area can be cleared of wild boar to prevent further transmission of the virus. This is in line with European Union procedures – the Czech Republic and Belgium have taken similar approaches to eradicating the virus.
One of the 120 wild boar traps in the white zone. – Photo: MSGIV
Aside from this core zone, ASP has also been found in 3 other areas. The construction of white zones around these areas is likely to follow but is not yet complete. In addition to Brandenburg, the virus was also detected in the state of Saxony, south of Brandenburg, which also borders Poland.
Wild boar depopulation
At the beginning of this week 2 Brandenburg State Secretaries were on site to find out about traps that are used in the wild boar population. During their visit to the White Zone near Neuzelle, Anna Heyer-Stuffer, Brandenburg State Secretary for Consumer Protection and Silvia Bender, State Secretary for Agriculture, admired the almost completed construction work: around 125 km of fence and more than 120 live traps.
With the support of the military and many on-site helpers, the white zone with around 250 km2 around the 1st core area was searched several times for dead wild boars.
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The next step in the fight against animal disease
In a press release, Heyer-Stuffer said: “The preparations were thorough, now we can take the next important step in combating the animal disease. The aim of our measures is to remove the wild boar as quickly and as completely as possible in the white zone so that the chains of infection can be effectively broken and the ASF does not spread further west.
Her colleague Bender said: “After the first confirmed ASF case, no hunting was allowed in order not to frighten the animals. Now the fence is closed and the fight against the epidemic is resumed through hunting measures. It is important to remove the wild boar quickly and extensively. For this purpose, stationary and mobile live traps are mainly used, in which the animals are caught and targeted. I am grateful to the hunters for their support. “
The fence around the 1st white zone is almost finished. – Photo: MSGIV
Within the defined restricted zones (core area, white zone, hazard zone, buffer zone), the complete removal of wild boars in the white zone has top priority. In addition to trapping, individual and movement hunts are also possible by order of the authorities. The state pays € 30 (under 30 kg live weight) and 50 € (over 30 kg live weight) for collection and delivery to a delivery point. Other game species may not be hunted for the time being.
Trapping and individual hunts are again possible within the core area. There are no hunting restrictions in the restricted areas outside the white zone.
Update on the outbreak of ASF in wild boars in Germany
The 1st In September, an ASF outbreak was registered in wild boars in the state of Brandenburg. On December 1, 193 cases were officially counted, 182 of them in the state of Brandenburg and 11 in the state of Saxony.
Effects of ASF on German pork exports
The consequences of the ASF outbreaks in wild boars in Germany can now be felt in the economic situation in Germany. The pork deliveries in September already showed a downward trend, wrote Top Agrar. Instead of around 60,000 tons that would normally go to China, around 20,000 tons have now made it there.
No further exports to China are expected in the further course of the year, so that by the end of 2020 a total of almost 500,000 tons will come to China, 20% less than in 2019.
A domino effect is likely to be noticeable in the total export figures. Even if alternative markets can be found for many pork parts within Europe, the European market was already quite oversupplied and marketing was slow. There are also parts of the pig that are hardly in demand in Europe. Top Agrar states that exports will decrease by around 8% overall.
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