African Swine Fever
African Swine Fever (ASF) is a viral disease of pigs that causes significant death rates upon infection. The disease only affects pigs and is not a threat to food safety or human health. No treatment or vaccine is currently available for the disease. Although no cases to date have been reported in Canada, it has been found in Africa, Asia and parts of Europe, and more recently, it has spread to the Dominican Republic and Haiti. ASF is being monitored closely because if it arrives in Canada, it will have devastating consequences for pig owners of every scale.
To spread awareness on preventive measures, the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, with funding from both the federal and provincial governments under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, has developed resources that can assist swine small holders and veterinarians offering services to swine clients to be better prepared against the threat of ASF.
Resources for Small Swine Holders and Veterinarians
Fact sheets
Three different fact sheets are available, customized to the different type of swine smallholder. These can be provided to swine clients to offer quick tips in recognizing signs of ASF disease and preventive measures that can be followed to help protect their animals.
Educational videos
Educational videos convey the measures that can prevent disease and protect swine health. The videos include interviews with a veterinarian and a registered veterinary technician working with swine smallholders as well as perspectives from small-scale swine owners.
- Not In My Backyard: Preventing Disease and Promoting Pig Health for Backyard and Small-Scale Pig Owners (English / French)
Resources for Veterinarians
Persona profiles
Persona profiles describe the three sub-categories of swine smallholders. The persona descriptions provide insight to the interests, dislikes and trusted sources of information for each of the three smallholder types. These can be used as quick reference guides on how to communicate with these unique audiences:
Swine Foreign Animal Disease Course
This one-hour course for veterinarians is presented by Dr. Sue Burlatschenko and covers swine-related foreign animal diseases. View the course.