Millions against the African swine plague: Hessen raises the alarm!

Millions against the African swine plague: Hessen raises the alarm!

The fight against African swine fever (ASP) in Hesse is in full swing. From summer 2024 to mid -March 2025, the country spent over 14.5 million euros for measures to curb the spread of these dangerous animal disease. This amount does not include personnel costs. Part of the expenses, namely 446,600 euros, was reimbursed directly to the Hessian animal disease fund. The exact costs incurred by the municipalities are currently unknown. This is reported by the Giessener General .

The first proven case of ASP in Hessen was found in mid-June 2024 in a wild boar in the Groß-Gerau district. Since then, the situation has tightened, in particular by the positive test of a domestic pig in Biebesheim am Rhein, which was announced on July 8, 2024. The affected company had nine pigs, and several animals had to be killed under veterinary supervision. In accordance with the official requirements, a protective zone with a radius of 3 kilometers and a surveillance zone of 10 kilometers was set up around the operation. These zones limit the marketing of slaughter products and the transport of manure and litter to minimize the virus spread. These details were in the Stuttgarter news Published.

measures of the crisis rod

In order to coordinate the fight for the ASP, a crisis staff has been set up. The measures of this committee include the targeted search for dead wild boars and the construction of fences that are supposed to prevent the penetration of other animals and the spread of the virus. Agriculture Minister Ingmar Jung (CDU) emphasizes the urgency of close cooperation with the affected counties and independent cities. "The collaboration is crucial for our success," explains Jung. The ASP is almost always fatal for the animals, while it remains harmless to humans and other animal species, as is the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Since its first appearance in Germany in 2020, the ASP has spread primarily in the eastern federal states, including Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The infection takes place through direct contact between game and domestic pigs, as well as contaminated objects. There is currently no vaccination against the ASP, and the virus spread is often favors by people, such as the sausage drops. The district veterinary office and hunters are actively busy looking for other affected animals, also with the help of drones. Citizens are encouraged to report unusual observations and to keep a distance from dead or behavioral wild boar.