New regulations against African swine fever (cross-border guide)

Context

In brief

• USAV: new biosecurity requirements for pig farms
• Rules for professional and hobby operations
• ASF compliance: facilitations in animal movements
• Level 1 now, level 2 in the event of an epizootic outbreak

Key facts

• Authority: Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (USAV)
• Location: Bern
• Risk: African swine fever (ASF)
• Scope: all pig farms
• Current level: level 1
• In the event of an epizootic outbreak: level 2
• Measures indicated: access, hygiene and up-to-date documentation

New requirements for farms

BERN - The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (USAV) has defined new biosecurity requirements for pig farms. The objective indicated by the office is to protect animals from African swine fever, ASF.

The new development concerns so-called ASF compliance. Pig farms that meet the requirements may benefit from facilitations in animal movements if an epidemic occurs. The communication does not limit the scope to professional facilities: the rules apply to all pig farms, from professional breeding and fattening operations to hobby operations.

The requirements were developed in collaboration with companies in the sector, USAV announced. The collaboration therefore concerns the definition of the conditions for ASF compliance, while the communication attributes the definition of the new requirements to the federal office.

What level 1 includes

The measures required include, first and foremost, the systematic prevention of any contact between domestic pigs and wild boars. This is followed by clearly defined access controls and hygiene measures at the entrance to the stables.

Biosecurity also includes documentation. USAV specifies complete and up-to-date documentation, including the visitor register, treatment log and daily recording of deaths and abortions.

The requirements now published concern level 1, intended for periods of calm, such as the current one. If an epizootic outbreak were to occur, the level would move to level 2, with additional measures adopted. The communication thus distinguishes between the procedures envisaged during the ordinary phase and those that would come into force during a health emergency.

Operational details

What changes at the operational level

The distinction between level 1 and level 2 helps read the measure as a graduated system. At level 1, which applies during periods of calm, biosecurity is based on the requirements published by USAV. In the event of an epizootic disease outbreak, the system instead moves to level 2, which entails adopting additional measures. The source specifies the change in level, but does not list the supplementary measures.

For a farm, PSA compliance does not consist of a single check. It is a set of interconnected practices and records. The separation of domestic pigs and wild boar concerns contact prevention; access control concerns who enters; hygiene concerns entry into the barns; records make the activities and events indicated by USAV documentable.

The comparison between compliant and non-compliant management becomes particularly evident in the event of an epidemic. Facilitations in animal movements are in fact linked to farms that meet the requirements. The rule thus creates a direct link between the work carried out during level 1 and the possibility of benefiting from facilitations when the health situation changes.

Applying the measure to all pig farms broadens its scope: both professional breeding and fattening operations and hobby farms are included. For those who also use the site's service tools, costo della vita in Svizzera and aziende che assumono are available.

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Key points

From verification to compliance

To translate the USAV requirements into an operational check, a pig farm can proceed by following the order of the elements indicated in the communication. This sequence helps verify that none of the areas listed by the office is overlooked.

A five-step checklist

1. Identify the activity. The verification concerns all pig farms, including professional breeding and fattening farms and hobby farms.

2. Check contacts. It is necessary to examine the systematic prevention of any contact between domestic pigs and wild boar, which represents the first requirement indicated by the USAV.

3. Define access and hygiene. Access controls must be clearly defined, and the required hygiene measures must be provided at the entrance to the barns.

4. Update the documentation. The visitor register and the treatment log are part of the documentation that must be kept complete and up to date. Deaths and abortions must be recorded daily.

5. Distinguish the levels. During the period of calm, level 1 applies. If an epizootic disease occurs, the situation moves to level 2, which entails additional measures.

The documentation aspect requires continuous attention: the USAV indicates not only the presence of the registers, but also that the documentation be complete and up to date. In addition, daily recording is indicated for deaths and abortions. Internal verification must therefore consider both physical and hygiene measures and the quality of the information retained.

This sequence does not introduce any additional data beyond the USAV communication: it organizes the published requirements in a practical form and clarifies the transition from level 1 to level 2. For the next check of the site's national tools, consult calcolatore stipendio.

Source: tio.ch