Pig farmers tighten stock movement because of PMWS
08 June 2006NEW ZEALAND - Pig farmers have become a lot more focused on biosecurity as they learn to live with the pig wasting disease PMWS, which has infected herds in the South Island as well as several farms in the North island.
PMWS, or post- weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome, carries no human health or food safety risk, but spreads rapidly between herds and can severely damage production by killing young pigs.
The South Island outbreak started on five breeding farms in the Christchurch area, but was spread through weaner pigs sold to other farms around the South Island before the disease was identifed.
Thirteen or 14 South island farms are known to have PMWS.
Pork Industry Board chairman, Chris Trengrove, whose farm is one of those infected, says the padlock's on the gate as a result, and movement of stock and people between farms is really tight.
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Source: Radio New Zealand
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