SWINE VESICULAR DISEASE - THREAT OR CHALLENGE FOR THE DUTCH PIG INDUSTRY

Swine vesicular disease (SVD) caused problems in 1993 when it was dete cted in Dutch pigs in Italy. As a result, the EC took measures against the export of live pigs. In all cases the animals had been retained a t an Italian abattoir or farm for three days or mate, which is longer than the minimum incubation time. Extensive clinical inspections and s erological testing on the farms from where the pigs originated reveale d no evidence of SVD infection. Serological testing for SVD of over 1. 5 million blood samples collected from herds within the framework of e xport- and herd certification, and the testing of slaughter sows and s laughter boars (EC directive), was negative as well. In view of these results it has to be assumed that the Dutch pig population is free fro m SVD and that the pigs were infected in Italy. However, a complaint f rom Italy in 1994 led to the detection of two SVD virus-contaminated e xport collection centres. If the existing regulations on the cleansing and desinfection of the transportchains are stringently enforced and implementation of the rules is continuously supervised then it may be expected that the problems have been overcome.