Lithuania to slaughter 20,000 pigs as swine fever spreads

Lithuanian authorities on Thursday ordered the slaughter of 19,400 pigs at one of the country’s largest farms as an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in the region spread. It was first case of ASF to be found in farm pigs in the Baltic country, Chief Veterinary Officer Jonas Milius said, amid an outbreak in which cases have appeared in neighboring countries. Poland has also reported ASF cases at farm pigs near its border with Belarus. ASF was found after pigs in the Rupinskai farm near the Belarusia and Latvia borders began dying in larger numbers than usual on Wednesday, the farm’s owner, Danish firm Idavang, said.