On July 15, 2024, the public veterinary services of Bari (Apuglia) organized a conference on the opportunity to convert a problem – the invasion of Italian territory by wild boars, with serious damage to agriculture and the risk of uncontrolled spread of zoonoses and animal diseases such as African swine fever – into an asset for society and the economy. (1)
1) Wild boars, the uncontrolled invasion in Italy
The uncontrolled invasion of wild boars across the entire territory of the Italian peninsula it continues to increase, even in southern regions such as Apuglia. It is therefore essential to examine the imbalances in the relationship between ecosystems, humans and animals – in a ‘One Health’ logic – in order to appropriately manage a series of critical issues:
– devastation of even valuable crops, such as grapes and legumes in Apuglia. And the carousel of union claims, estimates of damages and public compensation is endless, with disbursements also from the Park Authorities, unsatisfactory as well as unsuitable for mitigating a recurring problem
– also irremediable road safety dangers
– health risks of zoonoses, i.e. viruses and diseases transmissible to humans (e.g. Trichinella)
– serious damage to animal health and the economy of the pig production chain (farms, slaughterhouses, processing companies), in the event of the spread of African swine fever. (2)
2) Control, official controls, valorisation
The selective harvesting of wild swine had been tested in the Apuglia region, without however obtaining significant results. The health authorities are therefore evaluating the opportunity of effective involvement of hunting associations, to control the proliferation of this invasive species and the problems mentioned above.
Population control of wild boars through hunting, in this logic, can at the same time enhance the value of their meat under the guarantee of rigorous veterinary checks. The hunted game is therefore transferred to cutting plants recognized in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 853/04 – often already present in operational slaughterhouses, as well as equipped with veterinary medical personnel – or to a Game Processing Centre.
The Processing Centers of the Game can be set up thanks to regional funds, at no cost to the hunters. Who instead receive the guarantee of safe meat for consumers, obtained in structures that are advanced from a health point of view.
3) Wild boar meat supply chain
Healthcare procedures to guarantee correct management of the wild boar meat supply chain, defined in the Permanent Conference for State-Regional relations 25.3.21 n. 34, allow these products to be placed on the market and thus also offer adequate remuneration to hunters.
The hunted game, as prescribed, must be transferred to establishments recognized pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 853/04 (DGR 612/2007 Regine Apuglia Section IV), as well as equipped with veterinary medical staff. Or at a Game Processing Centre. So as to guarantee appropriate management from a hygienic-sanitary point of view.
4) Visions
Hypothesis of capturing wild boars in protected areas without hunting activities, through cages managed remotely and stunning in tunnels exiting the cages themselves, are also expected. However, these hypotheses are still awaiting feasibility studies and testing.
The proposed vision could be divided into the following phases:
- capture with remotely managed cages
- stunning in cage exit tunnel
- bleeding and evisceration
- storage in containers with cold storage
- transfer to the Game Processing Center with grooming and storage in a cold room for carcass refrigeration
- inspection visit by the relevant veterinary service
- collection of samples of organs and muscles, for scientific investigations within the pilot project ‘Department of Veterinary Medicine’
- start of the carcasses, divided into quarters for marketing, dissection, processing of the meat in the laboratory attached to the CLS.
5) Provisional conclusions
The control measures for the wild swine population established by the Apuglia Region trough the Regional Emergency Action Plan for the management and eradication of African swine fever deserve attention, even from the other Regions and Autonomous Provinces.
Even more after the failure of the Italian government in managing the ‘African Swine Fever’ crisis which has now reached eight regions. Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Calabria.
Hunting is just one of the risk mitigation tools, as mentioned in the inspection report of European veterinarians in Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. (3) It should therefore not be underestimated, together with the crucial compartmentalization measures.
Dario Dongo and Michele Polignieri
Footnotes
(1) The conference was organized by the Veterinary Service SIAV B (Hygiene of Animal Origin Foods), Department of Prevention of ASL Bari, Nort Macroarea. With interventions of the General Director of the ASL Bari, lawyer Luigi Fruscio, the Director of the Department of Prevention Fulvio Longo, the Director of the Health and Wellbeing Promotion section of the Puglia Region Onofrio Mongelli; as well as the representatives of the hunting territorial area of the Province of Bari and of the relevant sections of the Italian Hunting Federation and National Free Hunting Association
(2) Dario Dongo, Andrea Adelmo Della Penna. African swine fever, the indispensable solution . GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade).
(3) African swine fever. EUVET mission to Lombardy and Emilia Romagna, Italy (2- 4 July 2024) https://tinyurl.com/yc24e3fv
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
Veterinary director at the ASL of Bari, master in food culture at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, member of the panel on extra virgin olive oil at the Bari Chamber of Commerce and lively food critic.
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