What are the methods for preventing and treating swine fever in wild boar farming

Swine fever, also known as hog cholera and commonly called rotten intestine plague, is an acute, febrile, contagious infectious disease caused by the swine fever virus, mainly transmitted through the digestive tract, and pigs of different ages and breeds can be affected in all four seasons. The swine fever virus has strong resistance to the external environment, and people and livestock that come into contact with diseased pigs, as well as various tools, feed, drinking water and so on, can all spread this disease.

1. Symptoms of swine fever in wild boar. Clinically, swine fever is divided into acute and chronic forms. Atypical swine fever is the most common. (1) Body temperature generally rises to 40.5-41.5°C, and any antibiotic drug used is ineffective. (2) Appetite is significantly reduced, and the pig may even stop eating. At the beginning of the illness, the pig often feels thirsty and frequently walks to the trough when feed is given, takes one or two bites, and then slowly walks away again. (3) Even in warm weather, diseased pigs like to pile up or nestle into the bedding, and when lying quietly they emit a hoarse groaning sound. (4) Diseased pigs often have purulent discharge from the eyes, which may even stick the upper and lower eyelids together, and their gait is unsteady and poorly coordinated. (5) In diseased pigs, bleeding points can be seen at the ear tips, inner sides of the limbs, tail base, vulva or prepuce, and the mucous membranes become cyanotic.

2. Necropsy of swine fever in wild boar. (1) It is characterized by hemorrhage, most commonly seen in the kidneys and lymph nodes. The kidneys are pale, and both the surface and cut surface have pinpoint bleeding points; the systemic lymph nodes (especially the mesenteric lymph nodes) show marginal hemorrhage, and the cut surface has a red marbled pattern. Other organs such as the bladder, heart, throat, stomach and gallbladder may sometimes also show bleeding points. Bladder bleeding points are relatively common clinically. (2) The formation of splenic infarction is the most specific lesion of swine fever, namely the frequent formation of blisters of varying sizes at the edges and tips of the spleen, black in color and shaped like steel-wire saw teeth. (3) The lesion in the large intestine is characterized by button-like ulcers, often occurring in the initial segment of the colon; the ulcers are round, with raised edges, and sediment adheres to the sunken center, forming concentric circles.

3. Prevention of swine fever in wild boar. (1) Earnestly implement the policy of giving priority to prevention, and inject lapinized attenuated swine fever vaccine according to the schedule, which is the most effective way to prevent the occurrence of swine fever. During vaccination, attention should be paid to vaccine quality; syringes and needles should be strictly sterilized, using one needle per pig, and at least one needle per pen. Diseased pigs must not be vaccinated. (2) To prevent the spread of the disease, in ordinary times it is necessary not to slaughter diseased pigs at will, not to throw dead diseased pigs and the feces of dead diseased pigs everywhere, and not to eat the meat of dead diseased pigs. Pig farms must achieve self-breeding and self-raising, implement a strict quarantine system for pigs entering and leaving, and do a good job in feeding management and environmental sanitation. For pig farms where swine fever has occurred, the following measures should be taken: First, immediately carry out emergency vaccination with lapinized attenuated swine fever vaccine for the healthy pigs on the affected pig farm and for surrounding pigs that have been infected or are under threat. Second, diseased pigs should be buried deeply; suspicious pigs should be isolated and observed promptly, cared for by specially assigned personnel, and the tools and feed of diseased pigs and healthy pigs should be kept separate and strictly disinfected. Third, the feces and urine of diseased pigs should be collected, stored and fermented, and generally can only be used after being sealed for about 20 days. Fourth, the pig feed and tools used by diseased pigs, as well as the passages and sites contaminated by the feces and urine of diseased pigs, should be disinfected with 1%-2% caustic soda or 5% lime milk.

4. Treatment and disinfection of swine fever in wild boar. At present, there are still no effective therapeutic drugs or methods. Commonly used disinfectants include 1%-2% caustic soda, 5% bleaching powder, etc., and 5% lime milk containing 1%-2% caustic soda has the best effect.