Red alarm level: Landkreis Starnberg practices African swine plague!

Red alarm level: Landkreis Starnberg practices African swine plague!

Igling, Deutschland - alarm mood in Bavaria! The veterinary offices of the Landsberg AM Lech, Fürstenfeldbruck and Starnberg counties have prepared together with the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL) for a possible outbreak of the African swine plague (ASP). In a dramatic exercise in Igling near Landsberg, it was simulated how to act in an emergency. The plague that is transmitted by wild boars is an enormous challenge, since it threatens not only pig farming, but also all agriculture.

The recent cases of the ASP in Baden-Württemberg and Hesse have made the Bavarian authorities extremely alert. An infected wild boar could have devastating consequences: hunters, pig fattening companies and all farms would be affected. The scenario is scary: a died wild boar must be cordoned off immediately to prevent the virus from spreading further. People can also unintentionally transmit the virus - via shoes, clothing or vehicles. "You can't imagine that," says Georg Zankl, a former pig farmer who knows the far -reaching consequences.

preparation for an emergency

The exercise included the establishment of an electric protective fence that can be built quickly in the event of an outbreak. "Combating the ASP requires staying power," warns Dr. Michael Veith, head of the Landsberg Veterinary Office. The challenge is that the plague does not have to be combated in the stable, but in the forest. The maintenance of the fence for months requires extensive planning and endurance. The authorities agree: only through close cooperation and the integration of the citizens can an outbreak be quickly contained.

In the district of Starnberg, a special plan for disaster protection is already being developed for animal diseases. External forces such as BRK, DLRG, fire brigade and THW are ready to help in an emergency. Another exercise to rescue wild boar cadavers is planned for the coming year. Preparations are in full swing, because the threat of the African swine fever is real and demands for quick action!