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Composting of Wild Boar Carcasses in Lithuania Leads to Inactivation of African Swine Fever Virus in Wintertime

African swine fever (ASF) continues to spread and persist in the Eurasian wild boar population. The infection pressure resulting from infected carcasses in the environment can be a major contributor to disease persistence and spread. For this reason, it is crucial to find a safe and efficient method of carcass disposal under different circumstances. In the presented study, we investigated open-air composting of carcasses under winter conditions in northeastern Europe, i.e., Lithuania. We can demonstrate that the ASF virus (ASFV) is inactivated in both entire wild boar carcasses and pieces thereof in a time- and temperature-dependent manner. Composting piles reached up to 59.0 °C, and ASFV was shown to be inactivated. 

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Cattle Markets - Mike Briggs

Video: Cattle Markets - Mike Briggs

Live cattle futures are still holding a significant discount to cash, which either needs to narrow, or cash will have to come down. Boxed beef is trending higher again this week and on the feeder side, we're seeing new contract highs continue to roll in. So, what does this all mean moving forward? We caught up with Mike Briggs at his feedyard near Seward to get his take.