The finisher pigs at Bremsdorf farm are kept on site between 25 kg and 120 kg. For biosecurity reasons, the picture was taken by the farm owner.
lower than the market price because the animals were raised in an ASF-affected area. A high number of veterinary tests are also needed to confirm that all pigs are negative for ASF virus; now it is clear how a farm can lose € 179,000 in a year.
The farm’s buildings are robust and have stood the test of time.
Wires on the ground keep unwanted game out and also prevent the dog leaving the farm.
20 ▶ PIG PROGRESS | Volume 37, No. 8, 2021
ASF is not the problem Vennix: “In fact, ASF is not so much my problem. I don’t even think we have that much of an ASF problem in this area any- more. Hunters tell me they don’t find a lot of wild boar any- more. And one can see it at the soft shoulders of the road as well. When there are many wild boar, you can see it in the degree to which the vegetation has been eaten. There’s no eating going on there now – the vegetation has been coming up.” Vennix feels left alone – yet he is strongly hoping and call- ing for a signal of solidarity from meatpackers. In his view something needs to change to re-establish a slaughterhouse locally so business can continue for the farms in the ASF- affected states of Brandenburg and Saxony – as Vennix is certainly not the only one struggling to get by; some colleagues of his even had to keep their finisher pigs onsite when they had gone over 145 kg. He proposes one central slaughterhouse where all the required testing can be co- ord inated, with the added bonus that animal welfare is not compromised by unnecessarily long truck drives. He says, “It’s possible as well. In the affected area I think there is a capacity for around 60,000 pigs. Only a few years back they closed down a local slaughterhouse in Kasel- Golzig that could manage that number of finisher pigs. With a few of the right tweaks, it can be up and running again in a few weeks or months. It would be an outcome to have things going again. After all, we’ve got to learn how to live with the virus. I don’t believe ASF is really going to go away again from this part of Germany. We had better get used to the new reality.” For his daughter, there’s good news. Despite adverse times, Mum and Dad have not cancelled every plan. Her new bed- room was under construction at the time of the visit.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
