PIG farmers in East and North Yorkshire are battling to control an outbreak of a new disease capable of wiping out up to a fifth of their young stock.

Over the past two years, pig farmers have struggled to survive through economic problems, swine fever, and foot and mouth disease.

Now they are threatened by a relatively new disease called Post-weening Multi-systemic Wasting Syndrome (PMWS).

It leads to Porcine Dermatitis Nephrotic Syndrome (PDNS), and the two conditions in combination cause pigs aged 8-12 weeks to weaken and die.

Leading pig producer John Rowbottom, who farms at Melbourne, near Pocklington, has already lost up to 25pc of his young pigs. He says the new outbreak will spell the end for many in the industry.

He said: "The problem is growing all the time and there doesn't appear to be any way of stopping it. It will be the end for some farmers.

"It's come to the UK reasonably late and France have some ideas how to cope with it which is why they sent a French vet over last week to give us some advice.

"The advice suggests 20 different steps you can take which range from stepping up hygiene to less mixing of old and young pigs.

Ian Campbell, manager for Britain's regions for the National Pig Association (NPA) said: "Nobody really knows what this disease is.

"It was first recognised in Canada in 1991 and it has progressively spread on to different parts of the world."

Updated: 09:32 Thursday, June 21, 2001