Suspected African Swine fever kills over 30 pigs in Gulu

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Suspected African swine fever has killed over 30 pigs in Gulu district. The most affected are the farmers of Pagik parish in Paicho sub–county.

Geoffrey Okot, a piggery farmer at Pagik parish says that the disease was first detected in late February but has since escalated and killed over 30 pigs in his neighbourhood including his within four days.

According to Okot, out of his four pigs that have so far died of the strange disease, three were hybrid while one is a local breed. He said before the pigs die, they appear to be very weak with liquid substances coming out of their mouths and that after they die, their ears and lower abdomen turn blood-like.

Nairobi Onyuta, another farmer at Boke –Ber village, Pagik parish, Paicho sub county in Gulu district said at first, he thought his pig died following a snake bite but after many more of his pigs and that of his colleagues continued dying under the similar circumstance, they realized it is a strange disease killing their pigs.

According to Onyuta, he has now opted to slaughter the other pigs that are weak so that he does not make a loss.

Phillips Ongwec, the chairman of Pagik parish says that they suspect the disease killing pigs in his area is swine fever because the pigs die with foam in their mouths and reddish ears and abdomen.

He said the affected villages are Boke –Ber, Olwo and Lul. Ongwec adds that more than seven pigs are dying every day because the majority of the pigs are in a free-range system, making it easy for the disease to spread.

Simon Peter Otema, the Paicho sub county veterinary officer says that he is yet to investigate the cause of the disease.

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