Japan implements selective culling after first-ever swine fever outbreak

Japan is confronting its first-ever outbreak of classical swine fever (CSF) at a pig farm in Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The discovery was made after several pigs died under unclear circumstances on June 3, with laboratory tests on June 4 confirming the presence of the virus. This marks a significant event for the country's agricultural sector.

In response, authorities have opted for a selective culling of pigs at the affected farm, a departure from traditional practices. Previously, any farm with a single CSF infection would undergo a complete cull of all its animals. This rigorous approach, while effective in containing the disease, imposed a substantial financial and logistical burden on both farmers and local governments.

The decision to implement selective culling comes after a recent revision to Japan's Law Concerning the Prevention of Infectious Diseases in Domestic Animals. This amendment, passed in May, introduced measures such as selective culling, providing a more flexible response to outbreaks. At the Shizuoka farm, which houses 1,200 pigs, approximately 1,000 pigs that have not been vaccinated or are showing symptoms will be culled. The remaining 200 healthy, uninfected pigs will be spared.

This new strategy aims to mitigate the economic impact on the livestock industry while still controlling the spread of CSF. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has been working to prevent the disease's spread nationwide, with Shizuoka Prefecture being the first to implement this revised approach to animal disease control.