The influence of the African swine fever on porcine industry in an isolated region of Armenia for a period of seven years

In the present paper was investigated the loss in porcine populations in smallholder farmer systems due to African swine fever virus infection. The investigated region is situated in the northeastern part of Armenian Republic and comparatively isolated from other regions of Armenia, and neighbor countries. The majority of pigs in the investigated region were kept on smallholder farms in the rural areas, and usually each farm had several animals. Between 2007 and 2013, there were two disease outbreaks (in 2007 and 2010-2011). After analyzing the statistics concerning the livestock it can be concluded that after the first eruption of disease (2007) a dramatic decrease of the livestock was recorded. After that during the second eruption (2010-2011) the economic losses were not so severe. It has been shown that smallholder farmer systems can partially overcome economic loses and can survive in setting with many uncertainties and uncontrollable risks aroused at ASF epidemics.