BVA warns farmers against feeding food scraps to pigs

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has issued a reminder to pig farmers of the health risks associated with feeding food scraps to their animals.

In association with the Pig Veterinary Society, the organisation is calling on pig keepers to avoid swill feeding, following a Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announcement that the risk of African swine fever in the UK has risen from 'very low' to 'low'.

This highly contagious disease does not affect humans, but can cause fever, inappetance, lack of energy and sudden death in pigs, and has recently been spreading across many parts of Europe.

To contain this risk, farmers have been reminded that it is illegal to feed domestic food waste of any description to pigs in the UK, with the BVA noting that some cases of African swine fever have arisen through animals being fed swill that has been contaminated with infected meat.

Moreover, it was pointed out that feeding food scraps to pigs can create a risk of cross-contamination at any time and should be avoided as a rule.

BVA junior vice-president John Fishwick said: "Backyard keepers may believe that it is harmless to feed kitchen waste or vegetarian scraps to their pigs, but this is illegal for a reason."

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