The "Pest Control, Disinfection, and African Swine Fever Prevention and Control Forum" was successfully held in Hefei, Anhui

On April 13, 2019, the "Pest Control,Disinfection, and African Swine Fever Prevention and Control Forum,"organized by the China Veterinary Association and co-hosted by the AnhuiProvincial Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center and Guangdong WensFoodstuff Dahuanong Biotechnology Co., Ltd., was successfully held in Hefei,Anhui. Attending the forum were Xin Shengpeng, Vice President andSecretary-General of the China Veterinary Association; Professor Wang Jiaxinfrom Hebei Agricultural University; Vice President of the China VeterinaryAssociation, Professor Chen Rui'ai from South China Agricultural University,and Vice President of Wens Foodstuff and President of the Dahuanong BusinessDivision; Vice President Fang Binghu of the Dahuanong Business Division of WensFoodstuff; Associate Professor Weng Yabiao from South China AgriculturalUniversity; and leaders from relevant departments of Anhui Province, JiangsuProvince, and Henan Province. Over 260 participants including veterinary personnelfrom more than twenty provinces and cities and representatives from hundreds ofscaled enterprises attended the meeting, and more than 20,000 people watchedthe online live broadcast.

Since the outbreak of African Swine Feverin our country last August, our pig production enterprises have suffered hugelosses, and the pig industry is facing a severe challenge. At present,improving the biosecurity level of breeding farms, especially doing a good jobin disinfection and vector control, is an important measure for the preventionand control of African Swine Fever. Around the issues of African Swine Feverprevention and control, the leaders, experts, and representatives of scaledenterprises at the meeting made wonderful reports from different perspectives.The content includes domestic and foreign academic research, prevention andcontrol policy measures, prevention and control experience, and practical casesharing, providing many implementable and actionable plans and suggestions forthe prevention and control of African Swine Fever.

At the meeting, Xin Shengpeng, VicePresident and Secretary-General of the China Veterinary Association, introducedforeign prevention and control cases, epidemic disposal measures, and insightsgained in practice. He put forward several key measures for doing a good job inthe prevention and control of African Swine Fever, such as strictlyimplementing prevention and control responsibilities, completely prohibitingthe feeding of pigs with kitchen waste, improving the supervision measures forthe long-distance transportation of live animals, strengthening the testing ofAfrican Swine Fever in the slaughtering process, biosecurity and regionalprevention and control, promoting the transformation and upgrading of breedingmodels and animal disease prevention and control, and accelerating vaccineresearch and development.

Xin Shengpeng shared "EmergencyDisposal and Prevention and Control of African Swine Fever."

Once a pig farm is infected with theAfrican Swine Fever virus, sows are often the most affected. Regarding theprevention and control strategy for African Swine Fever, Professor Wang Jiaxinfrom Hebei Agricultural University believes: First, on the basis of existingunderstanding, strictly carry out clinical epidemiological investigation andresearch according to statistical requirements, especially immunologicalepidemiology, to obtain clinical evidence for scientific decision-making;Second, conduct systematic vaccine research to establish multi-levelhigh-throughput technical standards; Third, conduct structural biology researchto find disinfectant targets that act on the virus envelope, virus capsid, andnucleic acid.

Professor Wang Jiaxin delivered a keynote reporttitled "African Swine Fever Clinical Immune Mechanism and Prevention andControl Measures."

Vice President of the China VeterinaryAssociation, Professor Chen Rui'ai from South China Agricultural University,and Vice President of Wens Foodstuff and President of the Dahuanong BusinessDivision, suggested that pig farms should have the necessary biosecurityhardware conditions; strictly implement testing and quarantine for pigintroduction; strictly control the movement of people in pig farms; strictlycontrol the movement of materials in pig farms; strictly manage thetransportation vehicles for live pigs; pay close attention to epidemicprevention and disinfection; improve breeding management; and strengthen thework of pest control around the pig farm.

Chen Rui'ai shared insights on"Building a Biosecurity Control System for Pig Farming Production."

The disinfection process isa part of the biosecurity control in pig farms, but it involves many specificrequirements. Professor of South China Agricultural University and VicePresident of Wens Foodstuff Dahuanong Business Division, Fang Binghu, statedthat the concentration, temperature, humidity, organic matter, and pH value ofdisinfectants can all affect the efficacy of the disinfectants. He explainedthat to correctly use disinfectants, one must strictly follow the druginstructions for preparing, formulating, and using the medication; and choosedisinfectants based on different climatic conditions. For ground disinfection,it is necessary to alternate the use of disinfectants with caustic soda/lime.

Fang Binghu shared "The Use ofDisinfectants and Pig Farm Disinfection under the Situation of African SwineFever."

The soft tick is an extremely important natural and reservoir hostfor the African Swine Fever virus (ASFV). Associate Professor Weng Yabiao fromSouth China Agricultural University stated that in most areas where AfricanSwine Fever has occurred, the presence of soft ticks as biological vectors forthe virus has been discovered. ASFV can replicate within the bodies of softticks and persist for several months or even years. When infected ticks bitepigs, they can transmit the virus, and once soft ticks are infected with ASFV,it is easy for the area to become a natural focus of the epidemic. Therefore,doing a good job in pest and tick control helps pig farms better prevent andcontrol African Swine Fever.

Weng Yabiao shared insights on "TheTransmission of African Swine Fever in Pig Farms by Arthropod Vectors and TheirControl."

In addition, Dong Yongyi, Director of the Jiangsu Provincial AnimalDisease Prevention and Control Center, Chen Hailin, Director of the VeterinaryDepartment of the Anhui Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs,and Ban Fuguo, Director of the Henan Provincial Animal Disease Prevention andControl Center, shared the prevention and control experiences of theirrespective provinces. Technical representatives from Anhui Antai AgriculturalGroup and the Dahuanong Business Division of Wens Foodstuff shared practicalexperiences and successful resumption production experiences in the preventionand control of African Swine Fever in pig farms. Zhan Songhe, Deputy Directorof the Anhui Provincial Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, shared informationrelated to laboratory testing of African Swine Fever, and Cai Geng Yuan, DeputyDirector of the National Engineering Technology Research Center for SwineBreeding, shared issues related to pig breeding and conservation during theperiod of African Swine Fever.

Dong Yongyi shared "Practice andReflection on African Swine Fever Prevention and Control."

Chen Hailin shared "African SwineFever Prevention and Control Strategies in Anhui Province."

Ban Fuguo shared "Multi-facetedMeasures and Scientific Prevention and Control of African Swine Fever."

Ding Weimin shared "Ante Company'sExperience Sharing on African Swine Fever Prevention and Control in PigFarms."

Shi Zengbin shared "Preparations andOperational Recommendations for Restocking Pig Farms after African Swine FeverOutbreak."

Zhan Songhe shared "Information onLaboratory Testing of African Swine Fever."

Cai Gengyuan shared "Issues Related toPig Breeding and Conservation during the African Swine Fever Period."

Preventing and controlling African SwineFever (ASF) is also extremely important for provinces to communicate with eachother. It is believed that with the joint efforts of all parties, the battleagainst ASF prevention and control will surely be won, and we will togetherusher in the spring of the pig farming industry!

"Group Photo"