News article, 30. June 2021

Disease control is the top priority

Efficient disease control is based on high standards of hygiene. Denmark is doing a lot to ensure that infectious animal diseases do not enter the country.

Denmark has taken a range of measures to prevent the introduction of African Swine Fever. “We also completed construction of a 70-kilometre fence along the Danish/German border at the end of 2019. This prevents wild boar entering the country from Schleswig-Holstein,” reports Jens Munk Ebbesen, Veterinary Director of the Danish Agriculture and Food Industry Association. Information campaigns have also been used to increase awareness among foreign nationals, including HGV drivers, on how to prevent the virus spreading.

“Various Danish agriculture organisations have also launched campaigns to inform their members what they should be aware of when taking on foreign employees,” explains the Veterinary Director.

Strict hygiene regulations

When it comes to disease control, strict hygiene standards are everything. There are a series of strict regulations relating to this in Denmark.

“In line with the DANISH Transport Standard, all HGVs used to transport pigs to other European countries are checked, cleaned and disinfected. In the Danish border town of Padborg, employees of the SEGES Pig Research Centre check and monitor the cleaning of all pig transport vehicles,” reports Asger Kjær Nielsen, Quality Manager of the SEGES Pig Research Centre for the Danish Agriculture and Food Industry Association.

The HGVs must comply with the cleaning standards demanded by the European Union. “Vehicles which have not been properly cleaned are rejected and can only continue to their destination in Denmark when they have been correctly cleaned and disinfected,” explains Nielsen.