African Swine Fever
Katelyn Walley-Stoll, Business Management Specialist and Team Leader
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a viral disease that is rapidly spreading across Europe and Asia - with potential to affect the North American Swine Industry and have crippling economic impacts. While the disease does not spread to humans, is easily transmitted across hog populations, both wild and domestic.
The ASF virus can survive extreme temperatures for several months and many commonly used disinfectants, and causes high morbidity and mortality. At this time, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not allow imports of pigs or fresh pork products from affected regions. Symptoms of ASF include high fever, decreased appetite, weakness, skin blemishes, diarrhea, and respiratory illness. The disease is usually fatal, but if hogs do recover, they will continue to be carriers of the virus for several months. There is no vaccine or known treatment for ASF.
Proper biosecurity is the best prevention tool for swine producers. ASF can spread rapidly through direct pig contact, small insects (ticks, flies), contaminated feeds, materials and equipment, carcasses, and wild animals. Prevention can involve keeping pigs healthy and monitoring visitors (and their vehicles, equipment, supplies, etc.). Additionally, producers should not feed raw or undercooked pork products to pigs, and house pigs in an controlled environment when possible. If any pigs do become ill, isolate them and contact your veterinarian. When bringing in any new animals, isolate them for at least two to four weeks to monitor for illness. For more information, visit www.aphis.usda.gov.
Upcoming Events
Is Grazing Sheep Beneath Solar Arrays and Opportunity for Your Future?
September 25, 2023
Mt. Morris, NY
Grazing sheep beneath utility-scale solar arrays can build wealth of present and future sheep farmers as vegetation management service providers and access to additional pasture. The Cornell Cooperative Enterprise Program (CEP) conducted a survey earlier this year completed by over 600 farmers. Farmers identified barriers to grazing sheep under solar arrays and weighed in on need for a producer-led organization to negotiate contracts on their behalf, coordinate logistics of multiple flocks, provide transport of sheep to and from the site, care for sheep while on-site, and provide supplemental mowing. Additional questions focused on processing and marketing needs.
Technology for Grazing Dairies Webinar
September 27, 2023
Join us for this free webinar! Brought to you by the dairy specialists of CCE NWNY and SWNY Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Programs.
Protecting Against Murphy's Law: A FREE Live Seminar for Veterans.
October 4, 2023
What Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong!
Good ole' Murphy's Law is probably the best description of what it's like to be a farmer that there is! Join Cornell Cooperative Extension Farm Business Management Specialist, Katelyn Walley-Stoll, to learn more about the 5 areas of risk on farms and how to develop strategies to manage those risks. Participants will have the opportunity to identify areas of risk on their own farms and brainstorm ways to (try to) prevent the inevitable!
Registration is REQUIRED by visiting https://tinyurl.com/CCERisk or call Kelly at 585-268-7644.
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