Wild boars, Coldiretti Bergamo worried about swine fever

There is concern in the Bergamo agricultural world after Germany notified the first official case of swine fever.

There is concern in the Bergamo agricultural world after Germany notified the first official case of African swine fever on its territory found in wild boar carcass. The provincial Coldiretti raises the alarm for the invasion of these animals which in addition to causing considerable damage are among the main vectors of this disease. «The fear is that the epidemic will spread in our farms - explains Gianfranco Drigo, director of Coldiretti Bergamo - given the uncontrolled number of wild boars present in our territory. If this happens it would be a disaster for a sector that matters a herd of 297.011 head of pigs, an important reality from an economic and employment point of view that is facing a period of great difficulty.

Urgent and effective measures are needed immediately to prevent this scenario from occurring, starting with the containment of wild boars ». Coldiretti Bergamo points out that a single case of swine fever would be enough to bury the pig breeding and the whole chain linked to the production of cured meats, therefore in this phase the speed of the concrete actions implemented by the institutions is essential in order not to further damage a sector already in crisis. Wild boars continue to be a thorn in the side of farmers also in terms of the many damages they cause every day. "We can't take it anymore - say from the agricultural company Cocchetti and Bertolazzi of Cerete -, wild boars are our downfall. They destroy the turf of the meadows and therefore we can no longer collect anything. The grass mixes with the earth and can no longer be used for livestock feed. Five cows died from this last year.

We no longer know what to do to defend ourselves. Over the past few weeks we have captured a specimen of 125 kg, but it takes more. We will soon have to make investments in our company, but if things do not change we do not know what decision we will make ». Even in the Colli di San Fermo, in the area close to Grone, wild boars are putting farmers to the test. «Mowing the grass has now become impossible because the meadows are turned upside down - say from the Agricultural Society Le Foppelle dei Colli di San Fermo -, in this situation we are no longer able to collect the fodder to feed our animals.

In recent years, the wild boars have increased considerably and there is no problem getting up to a few meters from the houses ». "Farmers are real hostages of wild boars - concludes Drigo -, both as regards the destroyed crops and as regards their safety. Concrete and decisive measures are urgently needed before the situation gets out of hand and gets to a point of no return. Clearing up the responsibilities is useless and useless, we ask for a joint effort by all the interested parties to arrive at a real solution to the problem "(L'Eco di Bergamo).