Spain: GO PREVPA, a joint effort to fight ASF
For this reason, the results offered by the work carried out by the Operational Group for the prevention of African Swine Fever in Spain (GO PREVPA) are undoubtedly one more step to arm the industry against this disease.
The mere possibility of closing borders for exports to third countries in the event of the appearance of cases is more than enough reason for the involvement of the entire sector to be total in the maintenance and implementation of biosecurity measures that prevent the entry and spread of this sickness. And that is what has been achieved in this Operational Group, working hand in hand with farmers, hunters, veterinarians, scientists and public administrations.
For two years, the GO PREVPA, in which INTERPORC has actively participated, has worked on issues as important as the sustainable management of wild boar, the main carrier of this disease.
The elaboration of maps to zone the overabundance of wild boars or the design that has been carried out of a protocol for the sustainable monitoring of these animals, whose movement has been the cause of the majority of outbreaks that have arisen in Europe in recent years, will help us to provide essential information to quickly take action if a problem arises.
Undoubtedly, this procedure will be very useful for public administrations and for the hunting sector, which has been involved in the work aware of the importance of its work in managing the overabundance of wild boar. For this sector, a series of documents have been published that remind its practitioners that they are an essential agent to combat the disease.
On the other hand, actions have been carried out directly with companies and professionals in the pig sector, the most affected in the event of the entry of the ASF virus into Spain.
The work carried out with intensive and extensive farmers to analyze the main contagion risks on farms has resulted in the creation of a map in which the risks of wild boar-pig interaction are classified at the municipal level.
In other words, thanks to GO PREVPA Spain has a tool that makes it possible to establish more important alert levels, as well as to know the movements of wild boars near pig farms and how they interact with the livestock resources in those areas.
This will make it possible to detect the main foci in which infections can be generated due to the occasional presence of animals that may arrive infected.
In addition, by analyzing the data from a survey carried out on 100 extensive farmers through the ITACA platform, and from a biosafety audit carried out on 40 intensive farms, standardized biosafety protocols have been created.
In these two years, more than 1,100 participants have attended the nine online workshops given, demonstrating the concern that the ASF arouses, but also the existing interest in improving the biosecurity of the facilities.
At INTERPORC specialists always try to remember that staying free from African Swine Fever is everyone's business, and fortunately now, thanks to the work carried out by GO PREVPA, they have it a little easier.
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