Detection of African Swine Fever Virus in Feed and Feed Mill Environment Following Extended Storage

One way to mitigate risk of feed-based pathogens for swine diets is to quarantine feed ingredients before inclusion in complete diets. Data have been generated evaluating the stability of swine viruses in ingredients, but the stability of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in feed or in a feed manufacturing environment has not been well characterized. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the stability of ASFV DNA in swine feed and on mill surfaces over time. A pilot-scale feed mill was used to manufacture six sequential batches of feed consisting of a batch of ASFV-free feed, followed by a batch inoculated with ASFV (final concentration = 5.6 × 10⁴ TCID₅₀/g), and then four subsequent ASFV-free batches. After each batch, 10 feed samples were aseptically collected in a double "X" pattern. During feed manufacturing, 24 steel coupons were placed on the floor of the manufacturing area and allowed to collect dust during feed manufacturing. Once feed manufacturing was completed, feed samples and steel coupons were stored at room temperature. Three of each were randomly selected from storage on 3, 7, 14, 28, 60, 90, and 180 days after feed manufacturing and analyzed for ASFV DNA. For feed samples, there was evidence of a batch × day interaction (P = 0.023) for the quantification of genomic copies/g of feed, indicating that the amount of ASFV DNA present was impacted by both the batch of feed and days held at room temperature. There were no differences of genomic copies/g in early batches, but quantity of detectable ASFV decreased with increasing storage time. In Batches 4-6, the greatest quantity of ASFV DNA was detected on the day of feed manufacturing. The lowest quantity was detected on Day 7 for Batch 4, Day 60 for Batch 5, and at 28 and 180 days for Batch 6. There was no evidence of ASFV degradation on environmental discs across holding times (P = 0.433). In conclusion, the quarantining of feed may help reduce but not eliminate the presence of ASFV DNA in feed over time. Importantly, ASFV DNA was detectable on feed manufacturing surfaces for at least 180 days with no overt evidence of reduction, highlighting the importance of bioexclusion of ASFV within feed manufacturing facilities and the need for thorough/effective decontamination and other mitigation processes in affected areas.