Assam: African swine fever grips Lakhimpur; 1,000 pigs culled

LAKHIMPUR: Of late, African Swine Fever (ASF) has wreaked havoc at Lamu Gaon of the Lakhimpur district, as a result of which more than 1,000 pigs have to be culled.

A team of at least 25 veterinarians, comprised of 10 veterinary doctors and 15 assistants culled the pigs to contain the spread of the African Swine Fever infection in the district on Monday. A large number of pigs were culled through electrical shock by using two Electricity Stunners as stated by Lakhimpur District Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Officer Dr. Kuladhar Saikia and North Lakhimpur Sub-Divisional Veterinary Officer (SDVO) Dr. Chatrapati Goyari.

These pigs were owned and reared by Ratan Gogoi, a youth entrepreneur of Lamu Gaon under Charaimoriya area near North Lakhimpur town of the district. Due to ASF infection and culling of the pigs in his firm, Ratan Gogoi has suffered a loss of Rs. 1.50 crore, as informed to this correspondent. At present, 10 persons, who worked in his firm, turned jobless. He further informed that the pigs in his firm got infected one week ago and he reported to the District Veterinary Office. “Later the infected pigs tested positive for African Swine Fever, due to which the step of culling had to be initiated to contain the contagion as per advice of the District Commissioner. However, no fresh infection of the same has not been reported from any place of the district till date,” SDVO Dr. Chatrapati Goyari stated. The culled pigs were already in a deserted spot near the village.

Notably, the Government of Assam imposed a ban on the entry of poultry and pigs in the State from other States following the outbreak of Avian Influenza and African Swine Fever in some States of the nation. In this connection, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Atul Borah said that the step had been taken to prevent the spread of Avian Influenza and African Swine Fever in poultry and pigs in Assam and other north-eastern states. “In view of the outbreak of Avian Influenza and African Swine Fever in a few states of the country, the Assam government has imposed a temporary ban on entry of poultry, and pigs from outside of the State to Assam as a precautionary measure through the western border of the state in the interest of preventing the spread of the disease to Assam and other north-eastern states," Atul Borah added.

African swine fever is a severe, highly-contagious haemorrhagic viral disease of domestic and wild pigs. The disease has no cure or vaccine and can kill up to 100% of the infected animals. Though the disease is not a threat to human health, it has caused huge economic losses for the pig farmers and the pork industry since 2019.

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