The swine sector in Asia's animal industry has encountered a great loss in 2019 as the African Swine Fever (ASF) ravages the region from the beginning of last year and continues to spread throughout nearby countries.
The outbreak in the Asian continent shows how magnanimous the problem can be, killing more than a quarter of the world’s pig population in just a few months.
While there is no known cure nor vaccine against ASF, and the only thing that can be done once ASF is detected is to quarantine the area and minimize the movement inside and outside of the farm to ensure it won’t spread to other farms and affect other pigs. For this kind of incident, there are a few preventive measures against the spread of the disease, such as culling, strict quarantine in and out of the farm and disinfecting. Farmers need to make sure that their farm is safe from the disease and must implement all the biosecurity measures necessary, which includes disinfecting the livestock housing and all farming equipment.
Zagro, a Singapore-based Agrisolution company, manufactures disinfectants that are effective in preventing and stopping the ASF outbreak. The animal health product manufacturer creates formulations specifically made to combat contagious animal diseases including ASF.
What is African Swine Fever?
African Swine Fever is classified as a severe viral disease of domestic pigs and wild boars, it originated in Africa but is now also found in Europe and Asia. The symptoms commonly observed in pigs and boars affected by ASF includes loss of appetite, lack of energy, fever, abortions (for pregnant sows), and internal bleeding.
Symptoms manifested for the disease is similar to the classical swine fever and can only be confirmed by a laboratory test. Once exposed, sudden deaths may occur, especially those animals that is infected with severe or multiple strains. On the other hand, animals that are infected with the mild strains may not even show symptoms at all.
What makes this disease more disturbing to the livestock industry is that there’s no existing vaccine nor cure for it. Animals that are infected with the virus need to be culled, at some point the culling is extended even to pigs that aren’t infected or worst they need to be killed just to isolate and control further spread of ASF.
African Swine Fever situation in Asia (source: fao.org)
The year 2019 has seen one of the worst ASF outbreaks in Asia, with eleven countries already affected. These countries are China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Korea, North Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Timor-Leste, and Indonesia. It’s already present in most Asian countries, but still new cases are being reported.
While there’s still no way to completely prevent and stop African Swine Fever, a combination of efforts of different sectors, including the government and the farmers, in informing and educating them on this disease can at least control the spread of the viral disease and let them be aware in what other possibility they can do.
Disinfectants Against African Swine Fever
Now more than ever, farm hygiene maintenance is a crucial task for every farm. Proper cleaning and disinfecting are just some of the necessary steps to make sure farm pigs are safe and protected against the viral disease sweeping over Asia.
Zagro manufactures a number of disinfectants that are effective against various strains of bacteria, virus, and fungi that cause viral diseases such as ASF. These broad-spectrum disinfectants are highly effective against the spread of contagious animal diseases. The disinfectants are tested and manufactured at Zagro’s facility awarded with ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 22000, making sure that every product passes the highest quality standard.
The Agrisolutions company is based in Singapore, a country still safe from the viral disease while its neighbouring Southeast Asian countries are being hit hard. Free from the threat of ASF, Zagro can effectively focus on developing and manufacturing disinfectants that can fight against the disease.
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Listed below are the Zagro disinfectants used against ASF.
Ioguard 300 – Ioguard 300 provides maximum protection against various bacteria, fungi, microorganisms, and viruses. Used to prevent infectious diseases from spreading and ideal for use in livestock housing and farm equipment, this non-irritant and non-toxic formulation is Iodine safe without impairing microbial properties.
Ultraxide– Ultraxide has no environment residues. Guaranteed safe to use by farm workers and with no harmful effects in farm animals, it is also non-corrosive with low toxicity level, suitable for disinfecting systems and preventing the spread of diseases.
Zarcon – Zarcon is a fast-acting broad-spectrum disinfectant with low toxicity level, safe to use for animals. Available in powder form, it’s non-tainting, non-corrosive, and doesn’t leave unsightly residues on surfaces. It is proven useful and effective in fighting diseases, not just ASF, but also Hog Cholera, Swine Vesicular Disease, Salmonella, and more.
These disinfectants can be used in farm houses, farm equipment, transport vehicles, foot and vehicle baths, and other systems involved in pig farming. For maximum effectiveness, store the disinfectants in a cool and dry place, away from direct heat and sunlight. Recommended dosage and administration vary but must be followed.
Every sector involved in pig farming has taken on the challenge to stop ASF from spreading, and this responsibility is something every farmer, especially those in the affected countries, needs to take seriously.
Despite being unaffected by the on-going agricultural crisis whilst geographically located in the middle of it all, Zagro undertakes the responsibility of producing products that can help big and small farmers to combat the growing threat of African Swine Fever killing millions of domestic and wild pigs in the region. Its strong history of manufacturing high-quality animal health products equips it with the resources and expertise to produce trusted disinfectants to fight off bacteria, fungi, and viruses that cause viral diseases.
