Swine Dysentery Charter

If you keep pigs in Yorkshire and/or North Lincolnshire please help eradicate swine dysentery in the region by signing Yorkshire and Humberside Health’s SWINE DYSENTERY PRODUCER CHARTER.

You can sign the Charter online today here.

• Swine dysentery is one of the most economically damaging diseases. If you get it on your unit it will cost more than £10 a finished pig when permanent medication, mortality and non-marketable pigs are added to higher feed costs.

• The Yorkshire and Humberside Health Swine Dysentery Charter has the overwhelming support of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire producers. Most North Lincolnshire producers have already signed up to the Charter.

• The Charter will empower you and your vet to control the disease, and ultimately to eradicate it from the region. This will be achieved by sharing information about sites with swine dysentery and by implementing best practice control measures — as advised by your vet — to eradicate the disease from your unit.

If we all work together we can clear the region of swine dysentery in 18 months — and keep it out.

You can sign the Charter online today here.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q. What am I committing myself to when I sign the Charter?

You will be agreeing to seek veterinary advice, including diagnostic testing, in the event of suspicion of swine dysentery, to allow your vet to notify the Swine Dysentery Control Centre if swine dysentery is confirmed, and to take sensible measures to eradicate the disease from your unit(s).

Q. How strict are the control measures if I do get swine dysentery on my unit?

They are the measures you would probably take yourself anyway, on the advice of your vet, even if you were not signed up to the Charter.

Q. Why will signing the Charter improve control of the disease in this region?

If you are to keep swine dysentery out of your pigs you need to know where the units are that have a problem with swine dysentery; you need to know that these units are in the process of getting rid of the disease; and you need to known when they are clear of the disease. It’s all about responsibly sharing information and supporting each other.

Q. Why have you singled out swine dysentery for special attention?

Because it is very economically debilitating. At a well-attended producer meeting in Malton in July 2009 over 90 percent of producers said swine dysentery was their main concern. The Charter has been introduced in response to producer demand.

There is more information about swine dysentery at: http://www.bpex.org.uk/SwineDysentery/Publications.aspx

For any other enquiries please contact Sue Wickham (02476 478793) or email sdcontrol@bpex.org.uk