Some of the measures outlined by EFSA include: targeted hunting, removal of carcasses in the wild and a strict feeding ban.

ASF has continued to crop up on backyard pig operations this past week. Ukraine notified the OIE of a pig in Boyarivka village, Chernigov, that died from the disease and Russia reported three more outbreaks from villages in the Orlovskaya and Kurskaya regions which affected 13 pigs in total and led to the death of all 26 pigs susceptible.

There have also been new outbreaks of ASF in wild boar over the last week. Estonia reported 24 outbreaks, Russia two and Latvia 34.

In other disease news, another outbreak of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea (PED) virus was reported in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada.

This is the second outbreak in the county over the last few weeks and once again it is affecting a farrow to finish farm.

Elsewhere in Canada, pig farms in Manitoba are nearing PEDv free status. The first of five swine farms infected with PEDv are expected to be declared virus free within the next month.

Strict biosecurity and effective biocontainment has so far helped Manitoba deal with PEDv. Speaking to ThePigSite, Mark Fynn, Animal Care Specialist at Manitoba Pork Council, said that an early focus on farm and transport biosecurity has prevented the virus from taking hold.

Mr Fynn also discusses best practice on spotting, preventing and/or dealing with PED, including a step-by-step guide as to responding to PED on your farm.

In other news, the European Commission has referred the proposed merger of the vertically integrated food companies Danish Crown and Tican to the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority (DCCA) after an investigation found that the proposed transaction would threaten to significantly affect competition in certain markets in Denmark.

The merger is not, however, expected to effect competition in the other EU Member States given the low market shares of the parties in these markets.