SSAA NSW

ASF is continuing its spread throughout Asia. It is highly infectious and has no cure. If it enters Australia, with a mortality rate of up to 100%, ASF will have devastating effects on our domestic and feral pig population and our pig industry and economy. We need hunters in the front line to detect this devastating disease to assist our farmers and the community. What can hunters do to prevent the spread of ASF? There is no cure or vaccine available for ASF. Everyone, including hunters, has a responsibility to undertake practical measures to prevent, minimise or eliminate this biosecurity risk. To minimise the risk of ASF, hunters should: Recognise ASF in pigs Signs and symptoms of ASF include blotching of the skin, incoordination, diarrhoea, vomiting and pneumonia. Other signs may include groups or multiple sick or dead pigs, abnormal behaviours, lack of escaping, more prone to vehicle collisions and wobbly walking or trembling hind legs. More information, including images of what to look out for, are available in the Recognising exotic diseases of pigs Primefact on the DPI website. See. Report. Protect. To prevent the spread, it is most important that you immediately report anything unusual you see (including sick or dead pigs) to the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888. You can also contact your Local Land Services on 1300 795 299, or a NSW Department of Primary Industries veterinarian or regulatory ofcer. Be mindful about transporting pigs In NSW, it is against the law to keep or transport a live feral pig. If you suspect any pigs are infected, please report it and do not transport it to reduce the potential spread of disease. Keep pork on your fork • The ASF virus can persist in infected pig meat for months and while it is not a human health risk to consume it, swill feeding (feeding food scraps to pigs) can spread the disease. It is against the law to feed pigs swill, including meat, meat products and anything that has come into contact with meat or meat products. This even includes the humble cheese and bacon roll! • To be safe, keep your food secure while hunting, and take all leftovers home to avoid any accidental swill feeding. 16

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