PigProgress
Farm visit: Farming wild boar in times of ASF
In Finland, wild boar are not only roaming the forests, they are also being farmed as their meat is considered a delicacy. Although the country is free from African Swine Fever, the virus is relatively close by in Russia, so there is constant vigilance for the virus. How are wild boar farmed there? And how can they be protected properly?
One of the easternmost wild boar farms in Finland is in Viinijärvi in Liperi, about one hour’s drive from the border with Russia. There, Juho Reinikainen runs Korpikarju Game Farm. Reinikainen says, “We bought the shelter and land from the previous farmer in 2013. After the fences had been repaired, we started to acquire animals through the Finnish Wild Pig Farmers’ Association. We bought sows and boar from a couple of different suppliers.”