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Economic costs of 11 years of African swine fever in Polan
African swine fever (ASF) has been present in Poland in wild boar and pig populations for more than 11 years. The main cause of the long-distance spread of ASF is human error, especially the lack of biosecurity awareness in noncommercial farms. The potential risk of ASF endemicity in Poland and the Baltic states remains a serious concern. The enormous impact of ASF can be seen in the domestic production of pigs during the successive years of the epizootic. Due to ineffective biosecurity measures implemented in backyard, family or noncommercial farms, this sector of pig production remains the most susceptible to the ASF virus (ASFV). Also, commercial producers are affected by spontaneous ASFV outbreaks, which are usually difficult to explain during epizootic investigations. The data presented show the current knowledge on the economic impact of ASF in Poland since its introduction. The aim of this study was to estimate the costs to the farming sector and the national budget during the 11 years of ASF presence in Poland. This study used both statistical and dynamic methods of data analysis. The analysis included eight direct and indirect costs generating losses in agriculture. Profits lost by the meat industry and expenses from the state budget were also estimated. The analysis shows that over those 11 years, pig producers lost PLN 10.0-11.3 billion ($ 2.5-2.8 bn), of which the state compensated in various forms less than PLN 2.0 billion ($ 0.5 bn). Each disease outbreak accounted for PLN 0.53-0.63 million ($ 0.13-0.16 mln) of direct costs to farmers. The state budget spent at least PLN 9.4 billion ($ 2.3 bn) on the fight against ASF, as well as on subsidies for farmers and interest on additional public debt, while the meat industry lost PLN 300 million ($ 75 mln). The geographic expansion of ASF makes the costs of ASF increase every year. The loss of export markets is another cost to the Polish economy, with $ 5.5 bn of pork exports not realized.
Czynniki i mechanizmy wpływające na sezonowe zaburzenia w rozrodzie świń
The problem of unsatisfactory reproductive results in pigs is visible in a significant percentage of herds, especially during summer months and early autumn (seasonal summer infertility). This is reflected mainly in the reduced percentage of sows entering estrus after weaning and the effectiveness of mating/insemination. The consequence is a significantly lower number of births in November, December and sometimes even in January, compared to other seasons. There are many causes of seasonal summer infertility. The first things mentioned are usually the length of the light day and the high temperature in the pigs environment. An important reason that is not often discussed is the daily temperature fluctuations which usually occur at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. Persistent unfavorable conditions are responsible for long-term stress. Hormonal disorders related to stress, leading to reproductive disorders, result from connections taking place in the hypothalamus between the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG), which regulates, among others, the reproductive functions of the ovaries, and the hypothalamus – pituitary – adrenal axis – HPA which governs organism reaction to stress. Under stressful conditions, glucocorticoids (cortisol, corticosterone) secreted in large amounts by the adrenal glands, as well as adrenaline, norepinephrine and, in small amounts, dopamine, may inhibit reproductive functions at the level of the hypothalamus, reducing the secretion of GnRH. At the same time, by reaching the pituitary gland, these hormones limit the sensitivity of the cells of this endocrine gland to GnRH. As a consequence, the maturation of follicles slows down, the number of ovulating and rupturing follicles decreases, and the secretion of estrogen is reduced. The consequence is the absence of heat or, more often, the so-called “silent heat”. Another problem is the uneven maturation of the follicles, which leads to a delayed appearance of estrus and its longer duration: 3-4 days. The final effect of these is a decrease in the rate of females presenting heat after weaning of piglets, a deterioration in the mating/insemination success rate, an increase in the rate of early abortions and percentage of litters with a small number of piglets in a litter. The summary stated that despite the identification of various seasonal causes of reproductive disorders in pigs, depending on both sows and boars, and the availability of various “tools” to reduce phenomenon of seasonal infertility, the presented problem has not been solved in a large percentage of swine farms. Its intensity varies and depends primarily on awareness, knowledge of ways to eliminate unfavorable conditions and determination in this regard. The first step, as always, is to objectively assess the situation. The assessment can be made through a detailed analysis of production data.