There will be no pig classes or live pigs at the Tullamore Show this year as a result of the threat posed by African swine fever (ASF).
Amid the constant threat of ASF reaching Ireland, organisers held discussions with the Department of Agriculture and the Irish Pig Society about what should be done ahead of the show on 11 August.
Close monitoring
It was agreed that the risk was too great and even close monitoring could prove inadequate to control the threat.
Any outbreak could potentially eliminate the €666m worth of Irish pigmeat exports.
ASF spreads extremely quickly, similar to foot and mouth, and it is also difficult to control, as there is no vaccine.
China, which has been badly affected by the disease, has seen widespread culls of its pig herd.
In a statement, Tullamore Show said: “In light of this risk and in the interest of the overall pig industry, the decision has been made to do what we can to protect the industry.
"Consequently, while there will be a very full programme of events and competition, there will be no classes for pigs, nor will we have any live pigs at the Tullamore Show.”
Welcomed move
IFA pig health chair Shane McAuliffe welcomed the decision to suspend pig classes: "There is always a heightened disease risk with pigs that would be at a public event and this year it is a risk that small scale pig keepers cannot take due to the threat of African Swine Fever."
"It is illegal to feed any meat products or food waste that has been in contact with meat products to pigs. The decision by the Tullamore Show organisers should be a reminder to open/pet farms that car parks and picnic areas are as far away as possible from where pigs are kept.
"Unregistered pig herds pose a significant risk in the event of an outbreak of an exotic disease and the Department of Agriculture would have no way of directly communicating with them. Even a pet pig needs be registered with the Department and owners must follow all biosecurity protocols’’
Read more
Pig prices up 21% in Europe as African Swine Fever drives demand
Keeping African swine fever out of Ireland
There will be no pig classes or live pigs at the Tullamore Show this year as a result of the threat posed by African swine fever (ASF).
Amid the constant threat of ASF reaching Ireland, organisers held discussions with the Department of Agriculture and the Irish Pig Society about what should be done ahead of the show on 11 August.
Close monitoring
It was agreed that the risk was too great and even close monitoring could prove inadequate to control the threat.
Any outbreak could potentially eliminate the €666m worth of Irish pigmeat exports.
ASF spreads extremely quickly, similar to foot and mouth, and it is also difficult to control, as there is no vaccine.
China, which has been badly affected by the disease, has seen widespread culls of its pig herd.
In a statement, Tullamore Show said: “In light of this risk and in the interest of the overall pig industry, the decision has been made to do what we can to protect the industry.
"Consequently, while there will be a very full programme of events and competition, there will be no classes for pigs, nor will we have any live pigs at the Tullamore Show.”
Welcomed move
IFA pig health chair Shane McAuliffe welcomed the decision to suspend pig classes: "There is always a heightened disease risk with pigs that would be at a public event and this year it is a risk that small scale pig keepers cannot take due to the threat of African Swine Fever."
"It is illegal to feed any meat products or food waste that has been in contact with meat products to pigs. The decision by the Tullamore Show organisers should be a reminder to open/pet farms that car parks and picnic areas are as far away as possible from where pigs are kept.
"Unregistered pig herds pose a significant risk in the event of an outbreak of an exotic disease and the Department of Agriculture would have no way of directly communicating with them. Even a pet pig needs be registered with the Department and owners must follow all biosecurity protocols’’
Read more
Pig prices up 21% in Europe as African Swine Fever drives demand
Keeping African swine fever out of Ireland
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