A plague on both your villages. Plague in both your villages African plague in Saratov

There are much fewer wild boars in the Saratov region

In the Romanovsky, Arkadaksky and Turkovsky districts of the region, pigs are no longer bred. This was told by the head of the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the Saratov region Alexey Chastov. In these areas, the entire livestock of animals had to be destroyed due to an outbreak of African swine fever.

On the recommendation of veterinarians, residents of areas affected by the disease are breeding other animals. Pigs were replaced by large and small cattle or a bird. The villagers willingly switch to breeding turkeys. Now the mass death of pigs and wild boars is not observed in the region, Alexey Chastov said:

We expect the activation of the African plague, but we do not see a mass death. The disease does not forgive mistakes. The virus penetrates everywhere and is very stable. It can be brought to animals with clothes, shoes, plants, food. One viral cell is enough to cause a disease. It is very difficult to fight ASF, in wild nature it is almost impossible to destroy it. We cannot predict where an infected boar will appear. There is a quarantine zone in the Balashovsky district, here we expect new cases of infection.

Recall that a few days ago, three dead animals were found in the Balashovsky district.

According to Alexey Chastov, there are significantly fewer wild boars in the Saratov region. Their numbers are regulated, and now the number of animals is approaching the norm. This was recommended by the committee of the hunting economy and fisheries of the region.

As the specialist said, the region suffers great losses due to ASF. Last year, 68 million rubles were paid from the regional budget to the owners of slaughtered pigs. Now there are 57 cattle burial grounds on the balance sheet of the veterinary department. More recycling ovens have appeared in which the carcasses of dead animals are destroyed. This year, ovens will be installed at all veterinary stations in the region.

Latest news of the Saratov region on the topic:
African swine fever forced villagers to breed turkeys

ASF virus found in carcasses of wild boars found in Balashovsky district- Saratov

Three wild boar carcasses were found on January 16 near the village of Bolshoi Melik. According to the Committee for Hunting and Fisheries of the region, since 2015 the Balashovsky district has been included in the quarantine zone for ASF in the wild.
15:44 18.01.2017 Izvestia Saratov

African swine fever forced villagers to breed turkeys- Saratov

There are much fewer wild boars in the Saratov region In the Romanovsky, Arkadaksky and Turkovsky districts of the region, pigs are no longer bred.
12:40 18.01.2017 Sarinform.Ru

The presence of the ASF virus in the carcasses found on the territory of the Balashovsky district of wild boars was confirmed- Saratov

According to the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the Government of the Saratov Region, 24 outbreaks of African swine fever have been identified in the region. This dangerous disease (another name is Montgomery's disease) is an infectious, contagious disease caused by a virus and characterized by a severe septic process, accompanied by fever, signs of toxicosis, hemorrhagic phenomena and high mortality. It “mows down” cattle simultaneously in several districts of the region, but the ill-fated Balashov was the most unlucky - 9 foci were identified in this area. Officials report: the fight against the disease is underway - farms are quarantined within a radius of tens of kilometers from the outbreaks of diseases, livestock breeders inconsolable with grief treat veterinarians with understanding, receive compensation. However, on the ground, not everything is as smooth and unambiguous as in the reports on the website of the regional government. Residents of several settlements in the Balashovsky district are almost sure that healthy cattle have gone under the knife, the liquidation zone extends much further than 20 km from the alleged outbreak, and the reason for such zeal of veterinarians lies not in the conscientious performance of their duties.

Old Khoper is a village with a thousand inhabitants. By the standards of the Saratov region, a large, solid village. Most of the locals have personal subsidiary plots: chickens, cows, rabbits and, of course, pigs. Animal husbandry here is not just a way of life, it is a way to survive, to earn both bread and the education of children. However, as in most villages in the region. And pigs play an important role in this. Therefore, African swine fever, which almost covered the Saratov region with an epidemic, hit rural livestock breeders like a butt. And the Balashovsky district, where 9 outbreaks have been identified so far, is extremely unlucky. Quarantine measures have begun and continue, pigs are being seized, cattle are not allowed to be sold ... In general, veterinarians are doing all the manipulations that are supposed to be carried out in such situations. According to official data from the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the Government of the Saratov Region, by order of Governor Radaev, 5 million 254 thousand rubles were paid from the regional budget. as a compensation to the owners of pigs seized in the first threatened zone during the eradication of African plague. This is only in Romanovka and with. Duplyatka Balashovsky district. Meanwhile, livestock breeders are in no hurry to count the profits. On the contrary, there is no limit to the indignation of the inhabitants. As one of the villagers, who wished to remain anonymous, said, they never saw the documents that the pigs died precisely from the African plague. “The district veterinarian did not show us anything at the meeting. However, according to our information, the dead animals did not have symptoms of ASF…”, she said.

Residents of Old Khoper intend to write an official letter to the chief veterinarian of the district, so that he still provides documents confirming the diagnosis of dead animals.

“Today the situation has become more complicated, new outbreaks have emerged,- On August 10, on the air of one of the local TV channels, the head of the Balashov station for the fight against animal diseases said Vladimir Polyanin. - This is the village of Oktyabrsky, this is Pady, this is the village of Sadovy, this is Dry Yelan. Today it is 9 centers. Some of them have already passed the alienation, some are not affected. Destruction took place in the hearths. Literally yesterday we carried out an alienation in the village of Krasnaya Kudryavka, Trostyanka is scheduled for tomorrow (August 11). This is done in order to prevent the introduction of the virus into Balashov and further along the highway to Saratov. In the Balashovsky district, we have contained this situation since 2007. We put up posts, but nevertheless, for this year, our posts did not work.

At the disposal of the Stroysar news agency, it turned out that the frames of which depict quarantine measures: on one of them, a man without overalls pulls piglets out of the barn by the legs and dumps them into the loader bucket. Animals are alive - they move, and in general they do not give the impression of being sick. Considering the abundance of ASF symptoms, including: shortness of breath, paralysis, vomiting, paresis of the limbs, red-brown spots on the skin, scabs, ulcers (there may be no symptoms during the lightning-fast course of the disease); to see perfectly healthy cattle in a bucket, which is then rudely dumped into a truck, is at least strange.

In addition, according to the same resident, some villagers who were "especially" killed for their 200-kilogram sows were offered to pay for them as for 400-kilogram ones, i.e. 2 times more ... At the same time, she herself received a paper for payment for the seized piglets - with two signatures, but without any seals, which also caused some doubts in her ....

A similar situation in Ustinovka, which is 25 km from Balashov. Pigs are seized, allegedly in connection with ASF, the people who feed on these animals are indignant.

At Valentin Nikolaevich Shnyakin 30 little piglets were to be killed. The villager said that he would complain to the deputy, they “left behind” him. For long or not Old man doesn't know for sure. “The cattle has always died, but for some reason, right now they took it up ....”, he wonders.

To the question about possible reasons of such mass destruction of animals in subsidiary farms, not related to ASF, the villagers, without hesitation, answer: competition.

Not far from these settlements, the second phase of the pig farm is being built, and thus enterprising businessmen allegedly want to crack down on private traders who compete with them in the market. We can talk about RAMFOOD-Povolzhye LLC. However, the villagers make a reservation: all this is so far only their conjecture, they have no facts supported by evidence. Perhaps, this version is not supported by the fact that the high-profile project for the production of pork and animal feed by the decision arbitration court Saratov region on July 5 this year was
Or maybe some other company?

The Department of Veterinary Medicine of the Government of the Saratov Region promptly responded to IA Stroysar.

“First of all, it must be emphasized that the disease “African swine fever” is not dangerous for humans. Therefore, the requirements for the mandatory presence of overalls that perform the function personal protection veterinarians when working in ASF outbreaks, veterinary legislation does not provide, says the official comment. - At the same time, all employees of the veterinary service, when carrying out activities in the outbreaks, are provided with working clothes in the required quantity. After completion of work in the hearth, the necessary processing of used clothing is carried out.

The set of measures to eliminate outbreaks of ASF includes the alienation of pigs. This is a veterinary term that means removal from the owner and slaughter healthy animals. This work is carried out in the so-calledI-th threatened zone”, i.e. zone of greatest risk of spreading the disease from the outbreak. This event is provided for by the Instruction on measures for the prevention and elimination of African swine fever. This measure is forced, since there is no other way to prevent the removal of ASF from a disadvantaged point. No vaccine or treatment has been developed for the disease.

Slaughter of pigs is carried out by a bloodless method with a special preparation. The death of animals after its application occurs quickly, but not instantly. Therefore, reflex movements can be observed in pigs for some time.

The Department of Veterinary Medicine considers it necessary to emphasize that classes and workshops are constantly held with the specialists of the veterinary service, at which the requirements for carrying out activities in the outbreaks are considered. Including with employees of veterinary laboratories according to the rules for sampling in cases of suspected ASF. And control over the implementation of these rules is carried out by specialists of the department within the framework of working trips to areas unfavorable for ASF.”

In the near future, the pig population of another settlement in the district, Sukhoi Elani, is waiting for destruction, the Balashov livestock breeders said. Despite the official data, they still doubt that it is only ASF, and not the financial gain of some powerful persons who may benefit from the elimination of livestock from private traders.

IA "Stroysar" intends to sort out the situation.

Why residents of the Engels district believe that the ASF outbreak is just an excuse to take away their pigs

In early February, veterinarians announced the detection of the African swine fever (ASF) virus in the village of Krasny Partizan (Engels district). According to the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the Government of the Saratov Region, the virus genome was identified in biomaterial from pigs that died in the village. Now all the pigs from the private farmstead of the inhabitants of the Red Partizan and the nearby village of Bezymyannoye will be destroyed.

According to the law, compensation is due from the state for the alienated livestock, but for some reason the villagers themselves are not happy about this. They believe that everything that is happening is an attempt by the authorities to lobby for the interests of a nearby pig farm. Moreover, animals are not killed there in a strange way.

Not a virus, but a pestilence

It is worth noting that the residents of Bezymyansky municipality(which includes both the village of Bezymyannoye and the village of Krasny Partizan) agreed to a conversation only on condition of anonymity. The interlocutors are afraid of problems with the local authorities and explained that officials have already threatened to find justice against especially indignant citizens.

Residents are outraged because they doubt the diagnosis made by the regional veterinarian. The main argument: a week after the discovery of the virus, all pigs in both settlements continue to live. “With ASF, pigs would start to die in a week,” explains the first interlocutor. - Especially if we are in the focus of infection! But no one died." These suspicions are shared by the second interlocutor: “The African plague does not develop like this. It develops at lightning speed." In addition, the not too quick response of the veterinary service leads to reflections: “The disease is very dangerous, but for some reason for almost 8 days they were only preparing: they imported cylinders, found sleepers for burning ... Although, in fact, emergency measures!". According to the resident, no sanitary treatment was carried out after the removal of the "infected" pigs.

Tell me who is your friend

But why would veterinarians make up an ASF story? The villagers are sure that in this way the authorities are lobbying the interests of pig farms. One of them just settled down next to the Red Partizan, and for some reason they do not plan to destroy the pigs there. “Wherever a pig farm appears, there is always an outbreak of ASF,” one of the residents shares his observations. - Well, right always and everywhere! And it extends almost to the entire region. According to the villagers, their subsidiary farms are undesirable competition to pig farms, as they are not taxed and offer an "environmentally friendly" product. “Judge for yourself: in a year our pig grows by 70-80 kg. And pig complexes manage to grow it by 150-200 kg in 3-6 months, another resident makes a comparison. - Well, how is that possible? What do you need to feed a pig so that it grows like that?

The destruction of the pig population in the villages will significantly complicate the life of people in the harsh conditions of the Bezymyansky municipality. Some people already have loans, while others have to help student children in Saratov. The villagers are skeptical about receiving compensation from the state. First, the amount of the payment is somewhat less than what could be obtained from the sale of pigs. Secondly, residents are afraid that this money will simply not be paid to them. “I have not received a single document that would have been signed and stamped, would have indicated the weight of the seized animals,” one of the respondents warily noted.

Beyond pig farming

In the Saratov Regional Department of Veterinary Medicine, all suspicions of the villagers are dismissed. As explained by the editors Head of Department Alexey Chastov, ASF in Krasny Partizan proceeded with signs characteristic of this disease. In addition, the diagnosis has already been confirmed by an institute in the Vladimir region (the villagers themselves do not trust the conclusions of this institution). As for the pig farm, it does not fall into the five-kilometer exclusion zone, so the livestock will be kept there. Chastov also assured that monetary compensation to the residents of both villages would be paid, but it would take time to process required documents. “There will be compensation, because the law requires it,” the official said confidently.

In regions where ASF appears, residents really tend to believe in stories about the machinations of pig farms, he explained to Gazeta Nedeli CEO National Union of Pig Breeders of Russia (expresses the interests of industrial pig breeding) Yuri Kovalev. According to him, there is a "conceptual contradiction" between industrial pig farming and private backyards. At the same time, in practice, domestic pork cannot be any serious competitor to the products of pig farms. Kovalev gives figures: in the European part of Russia, the share of pork produced in personal subsidiary farms is only about 5 percent (in Russia as a whole, it is slightly more than 15 percent). Moreover, domestic pork is not fully involved in the turnover, as it is distributed mainly through the farmsteads themselves. “Yes, this affects consumption, but competition from this point of view is already minimal,” the specialist concludes. Thus, from the standpoint of the market, there is no point in “helping” the authorities.

Pork - to the world

According to Kovalev, local authorities are motivated not by the interests of pig complexes, but by completely different principles, when taking emergency measures to destroy the livestock: “Today, each subject of the federation is personally responsible for the fact that it has a virus. Because all these cases are controlled by the government and the president.”

However, in different regions they can approach the solution of the problem in different ways. For example, in the Belgorod region, the authorities, with the support of big business I just bought all 60,000 pigs from private farms. Contracts were concluded with the inhabitants obliging them not to keep pigs for three years. In exchange, citizens receive funds for the purchase of cows and poultry. “In other regions, the authorities cannot do this,” the head of the union explained. - Somewhere there is a lack of determination ... This is work. Meeting work. It's a very serious job."

Local control of ASF has a very specific meaning for the national economy. Inside the borders, Russia is already saturated with pork, exports are next in line. However, the presence of swine fever complicates access to foreign markets. “Nobody wants to accept us,” Kovalev says. - They say, they say, until you solve this problem. We are now closed to the whole world. And this problem will grow.”

In the foreseeable future, domestic pig production willy-nilly have to rebuild. It is no longer possible to keep pigs the old fashioned way. As an example, the specialist cites the fact that the main food for pigs in private farmsteads is still waste from the owners' table: “But in today's conditions, this is absolutely impossible to do! At least - only after boiling. Over time, the rules for keeping domestic pigs in Russia will become tougher.

As a result, according to Kovalev's forecasts, in some regions personal pig breeding will generally be reduced to a minimum, giving way to a safer industrial one (pig farms have several degrees of protection against ASF). And where it remains, it will take on more civilized forms and become more controlled. After all, there are examples in the world of a much more radical fight against ASF: for example, when the virus threatened the export of pork to the European Union from Spain, the country completely switched to industrial pig production.