Xilai Gao African Swine Fever Prevention (Part 1)

【Summary Description】 Xilai Gao’s ASF Prevention (Part 1): Establishing a Biosecurity System to Cut Off Transmission Routes—Half a year has passed, and African swine fever has already swept across the entire country. Farmers across the board have more or less felt the severity of this disease. So today, let’s briefly discuss why African swine fever is truly so devastating and what we should do next to prevent its spread. Please pay attention to the following points:

Xilai Gao African Swine Fever Prevention (Part 1)

Establishing a Biosafety System to Interrupt Transmission Routes

Half a year later, African swine fever has swept across the entire country, and farmers nationwide have more or less already felt the severity of the disease.

So, today let’s briefly talk about why African swine fever is really so severe and what we should do next to prevent it.

Please pay attention to the following points:

1.  The disease does not produce neutralizing antibodies;

2.  The virus has a large number of virulence antigen proteins, and these proteins mutate very easily, making it difficult for the immune system to provide comprehensive protection.

3.  The virus has a large genome, numerous immune factors, and many immune evasion pathways.

4.  Despite massive financial investments and decades of effort abroad, they still haven't succeeded in developing it. “A practical” vaccine: protects more than 70% and is safe with no toxicity.

See? I think you should have at least a slight idea about it.

That’s just how it is in reality—once a pig farm gets targeted, it’s almost always wiped out completely, and that’s pretty much game over.

Everyone is now very confused and almost at their wit's end.

Why is African swine fever really so formidable? Just the first sentence. “ This disease does not produce neutralizing antibodies. “This is truly terrifying. After all, the African swine fever virus attacks and damages the immune system. If you’re still not clear about this, you should be familiar with AIDS—yes, the HIV virus specifically targets and destroys the human immune system. As a result, people infected with AIDS have extremely weak immunity (that is, their ability to fight off disease)—even a simple cold could prove fatal. Although African swine fever has been circulating in China for half a year already, the fact that it doesn’t stimulate the body to produce neutralizing antibodies means that currently, among the existing pig population, there are no naturally acquired antibodies capable of providing protection against the disease. That’s precisely what makes African swine fever so formidable—and also the biggest challenge we’ll face going forward. Preventing African swine fever will be a protracted, back-and-forth battle, requiring coordinated, long-term efforts. For the pig farms that have managed to survive so far, taking this first step is like having just begun to build the Great Wall.”

So, how should we proceed with our work going forward? This is probably the question that concerns every pig farmer the most. Still, I’d like to strongly advise everyone: Don’t rely on luck or hope for a lucky break. African swine fever is like a sieve— if your management practices aren’t up to par and your herd’s health isn’t up to standard, you’ll ultimately be filtered out. Let me emphasize: This isn’t taking advantage of others’ misfortune, nor is it alarmist rhetoric.

 

Everyone must be clear:

The three basic links in the spread of infectious diseases are: the source of infection, the mode of transmission, and susceptible animals.

Since you can’t eliminate the source of infection, let’s start by cutting off the transmission routes and protecting susceptible animals.

How do I do it?

Pay close attention to two key entry points: one is the main gate through which people and vehicles enter and exit the pig farm, and the other is the pig-loading platform—the exit point for pigs. As for pig farms that currently lack fencing, nearly all of them have already been overrun and cleared out; I won’t go into further detail on this here.

Set up a caustic soda pool at the entrance of the pig farm. As for its size, it should be determined based on your own actual situation; the depth should be... A depth of 15–20 cm is ideal. However, I’d like to remind everyone that before applying the cement, the very bottom of the pool must be lined with a whole, new, and sturdy plastic sheet, and then the cement should be applied on top of it. This will prevent leaks—(it’s really important!). The caustic soda concentration should be 2–3% (this concentration will be used throughout; no further explanation is needed).

 

Even if you block off the doorway, you still need a passage for personnel to enter and exit. By the way, this place is called a disinfection room. If you’ve got the money, just shell out for a ready-made mist-disinfection unit. But if you’re short on cash, just stick to staying put around the perimeter of the disinfection room. Install the UV lamp at a 360-degree angle. The ground must be hardened, and two layers of burlap sacks should be laid on top of it. Then, sprinkle caustic soda solution over the burlap sacks. Personnel entering and leaving the facility must strictly change into clean clothes, shoes, and hats (this requirement must be strictly enforced—don’t shy away from the hassle). If possible, it’s best to take a shower first and then change into pig farm attire before entering the pig farm. Clothes worn outside should be spread out and hung in the disinfection room for UV irradiation and sterilization. Of course, items brought into the pig farm from outside—such as vaccines and veterinary medicines—should ideally remain in the disinfection room for at least 24 hours before being allowed into the pig farm.

Do you think it’s overly verbose? No, this is a critical step. Don’t forget the transmission routes of the African swine fever virus.

The pig-loading platform must be securely locked when not in use and checked regularly. If you’re planning to sell pigs, you’ll need to be extremely careful. Be sure to schedule the pig delivery for tomorrow, arrange for a pig-hauling truck today, and thoroughly clean it before entering the loading platform. The premises must be thoroughly disinfected within two hours. Personnel transporting pigs must absolutely avoid approaching the pig farm. After settlement, they should refuse to accept cash payments and ideally use a time-card system. Once the pig transport vehicles have left, dedicated personnel should promptly clean and thoroughly disinfect the area. A caustic soda-based disinfectant is recommended as the best choice. Afterwards, staff members should change clothes and take a shower in the disinfection chamber located at the main entrance of the pig farm before entering or leaving the premises.

Although it’s a bit verbose and cumbersome, I think it’s absolutely essential. What do you think?

Environmental disinfection—meaning disinfection of the entire farm area—becomes quite straightforward. Simply spray the premises once a week with a solution of caustic soda. When strong winds are forecast, you should carry out environmental disinfection first. Although the African swine fever virus isn't transmitted through the air, it's still important to ensure that, after the wind dies down, the virus won't find its way onto your pig farm.

All entrances and exits of pig farms should be equipped with disinfection pools or buckets. Right now, it’s best to wear rubber boots on pig farms, and it’s definitely a good idea to thoroughly rinse your feet before entering the pig houses.

Absolutely do not use caustic soda for disinfecting pigs! Instead, opt for a multi-purpose disinfectant—highly recommended is the three-in-one disinfectant imported in the Dutch Xilai Gaozhuang packaging. ----Wick

Please take a look at this gem—this thing is truly worth every penny!

 

This time, we’ve mainly discussed the issue of cutting off the source of infection. We hope this has been helpful to you.