Military authorities employing high-pressure water cannons to address animal illnesses
Austrian Soldiers Deploy Watering Cans to Combat African Swine Fever
In a unique and innovative approach to a pressing veterinary and agricultural challenge, Austrian soldiers are currently stationed at the borders with Slovakia and Hungary, armed not with rifles but with watering cans. This operation, aimed at combating the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF), began on Monday afternoon and is scheduled to continue until May 20.
The deployment of soldiers is part of an assistance operation requested by the state and coordinated by the Military Command. The soldiers are tasked with keeping disinfectant mats soaked with formic acid moist using watering cans. This is intended to help create natural barriers and maintain border surveillance zones that may help contain or slow the spread of ASF, a highly contagious viral disease affecting wild and domestic pigs.
This operation is more about environmental and agricultural biosecurity measures than a military activity. The watering cans symbolize a non-aggressive, preventive approach focused on ecological management and disease control at porous borders rather than traditional defense.
African Swine Fever poses a serious risk to pig farming and associated economies. By fostering natural barriers and monitoring vegetation growth in border areas, Austrian authorities aim to reduce contact between wild boars across borders, which is a key vector for ASF transmission. This method complements other biosecurity efforts aiming to contain and prevent ASF outbreaks while maintaining peaceful and cooperative border management with Slovakia and Hungary.
Initially, soldiers from the Guard were deployed, but they will be relieved by an assistance unit of militia soldiers from the Military Command of Lower Austria on April 27. As of now, 28 soldiers are deployed at the border crossings with Slovakia in Hohenau and Berg. The Federal Army is stationed at two border crossings in Lower Austria to control African Swine Fever.
The disinfection measures at the border crossings continue to be employed. So far, ASF test results in Burgenland and Lower Austria have been negative. The relief of the soldiers from the Guard will be carried out as reported by ORF.
[1] This operation is not for defense against an enemy with weapons, but against a virus. The operation is in response to the outbreak of ASF in Slovakia and Hungary. No evidence from the search results indicates direct military confrontation; rather, this is an innovative, ecological approach to a pressing veterinary and agricultural challenge on the Austria-Slovakia-Hungary borders.
[1] The watering cans, typically used for gardening, are now deployed as a tool in the science of preventing the spread of medical-conditions like African Swine Fever, thereby contributing to health-and-wellness and ecological management along the Austria-Slovakia-Hungary borders.
[2] The innovative method of maintaining border surveillance zones and creating natural barriers, along with other biosecurity efforts, is not focused on traditional defense but rather on the management of medical-conditions, specifically ASF, posing a serious risk to pig farming and associated economies in the region.
