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4-9-2004 |
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STATE SWINE HERD DECLARED PSEUDORABIES FREE Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass has announced that
swine born and raised exclusively in West Virginia may now be considered
pseudorabies free, and owners will not have to present associated
pseudorabies certifications at fairs and festivals this summer. “I am proud to say that the West Virginia Department of Agriculture
(WVDA) has met USDA’s testing standards for declaring this
state free of the disease,” said Commissioner Douglass. “This
certification is a testament to the hard work and dedication of
the Animal Health staff, and the efforts of our farmers to keep
their herds disease-free.” WVDA State Veterinarian and Animal Health Director Joe Starcher
said the new certification will benefit youngsters who enter their
swine in shows throughout the state. “It will make life a lot easier for the kids who show their
pigs at fairs and festivals across the state,” he noted. “Previously,
swine had to be tested within 60 days of the event they were entering,
or come from a pseudorabies-free certified herd.” The WVDA will continue to test slaughter hogs in this state and
any incoming swine to prevent any reintroduction of the disease,
which is a virus prevalent in swine that often causes newborn piglets
to die. Older pigs can survive infection, becoming carriers for
life. Also known as Aujeszky’s disease and “mad itch,” preudorabies can be spread to other animals. Infected cattle and sheep can first show signs of pseudorabies by scratching and biting themselves. In dogs and cats, pseudorabies can cause sudden death. The virus does not cause illness in humans.
Contact: Buddy Davidson The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org. |
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©2001, 2002 West Virginia Department of Agriculture, All Rights Reserved |
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