Saxony has ASF under control

Thanks to the hunting community in Bavaria

Köpping thanked the hunting community for reducing the number of wild boar and helping to find dead animals. A corresponding hunting project was supported with 2.8 million euros. Dogs and drones were also used in the search for dead animals. A good 1,800 of the 2,398 infected wild boars were identified in this way. Since October 2020 - the first case of ASF in Saxony - the State Research Institute of Saxony has examined almost 200,000 samples, including almost 90,000 from domestic pigs.

"The fight against African swine fever has brought many hardships and additional costs for livestock farmers, farmers and hunters," said Wilhelm Bernstein, Vice President of the Saxony Hunting Association. The disease has been contained, but not yet defeated. The wild boars had been hunted massively and ASF had also reduced the populations. Nevertheless, they are growing again thanks to mild winters and plenty of food.

ASF not dangerous for humans

ASF swine fever is a viral infection that only affects wild and domestic pigs. It is harmless to humans and other animal species. It is almost always fatal and incurable. Surviving animals do not develop immunity to the virus and can therefore become infected again. There is currently no way of protecting pigs by vaccination. The disease can be transmitted directly from animal to animal or indirectly through humans via contaminated objects and feed.

Copyright 2025, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved