China’s race to produce ‘super pigs’ destined to fail amid haphazard biosecurity, experts say
- China’s pig herd has begun to build again after African swine fever devastated hog populations across the country 18 months ago
- Scientists are racing to create disease-resistant pigs, but analysts say that will be undermined by basic hygiene problems in China’s pork industry
China should focus less on developing disease-resistant “super pigs” to protect its hog herd from infection and do more to improve basic biosecurity, analysts say, as several companies claim to be close to a breakthrough treatment for African swine fever.
China’s hog herd has begun to steadily rebuild after swine fever spread across the country a year and a half ago, killing or forcing the culling of 60 per cent of the pig population, according to authorities.
But poor biosecurity – including the transport of pigs in filthy trucks and a lack of disinfection at farms – still threatens the industry, observers said.
There is no commercially available vaccine for swine fever – which is not harmful to humans – but a number of researchers claim they are close developing one.
Meanwhile, Shandong Landsee Genetics, a company in China’s eastern Shandong province, was reported this week to have successfully bred ASF-resistant pigs. The pigs, called Lansibai-2, are from the large white breed, one of the most common raised in China.
When approached for comment, a spokeswoman for the company said the research was confidential and she was not authorised to speak to media.
Despite the apparent progress, analysts are generally sceptical that a silver bullet to prevent the disease will be developed on a large scale any time soon.