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ASF confirmed in the Dominican Republic: Resources for Minnesota swine producers

The USDA recently announced African Swine Fever (ASF) was confirmed in the Dominican Republic.
The following is a message from the Mn Board of Animal Health

What can swine producers can do to protect Minnesota's herds?

Practice biosecurity:

  • Ask all visitors about recent travel outside the country. Do not let anyone who has been in an ASF-affected country onto your farm for at least five days after they enter the United States.
  • Separate new pigs before bringing them into your herd and monitor them for signs of disease.
  • If pigs become sick, separate them and contact your veterinarian.
  • Don’t visit other swine farms. If you must visit another farm, take a shower and wash your clothing before and after your visit.
  • Vehicles and tools can carry disease. Don’t share equipment with other farms and clean tools after use.
  • Limit visitors to your farm and reduce on-farm traffic as much as possible.

Know the signs of ASF:

The virus can cause a wide range of clinical signs in infected pigs, and can spread very rapidly. Some signs of an ASF infected pig include:
  • Fever
  • Discoloring of the skin
  • Loss of appetite
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Weakness
  • Sudden death

What is the government doing to protect Minnesota's swine?

The USDA has the following safeguards in place to reduce the risk of introduction into the United States:
  • Import restrictions on pork and pork products.
  • Increased vigilance from Customs and Border Protection staff at ports of entry, paying particular attention to passengers and products arriving from ASF-affected countries like the Dominican Republic.
  • Increased messaging to industry partners to raise awareness of the direct biosecurity concerns with foreign visitors to domestic swine operations.

Additional resources:

ASF fact sheet - English
ASF fact sheet - Spanish
ASF fact sheet - Hmong
USDA biosecurity flyer (see below)

The University of Minnesota Extension along with the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine faculty will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves. If you have questions please contact the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.

Minnesota Board of Animal Health
651-296-2942





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