Proactively prevent and control African swine fever

African swine fever is breaking out in many provinces and cities and shows no signs of stopping. To prevent this dangerous disease from spreading to the province's pig herd, the Veterinary Department is strengthening control over the purchase, sale, slaughter, and transportation of animals in the area. Farmers also need to proactively monitor and strictly implement disease prevention measures.

 

Increased control

 

According to a report from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, since the beginning of the year, there have been over 660 outbreaks of African swine fever in 44 provinces and cities nationwide; over 42,400 pigs have been destroyed, causing losses to farmers. The Ministry also stated that the disease is on the rise, with a high risk of widespread spread, which could affect food supplies, consumer price indexes and the environment.

 

In Phu Yen, the livestock situation is stable, epidemics are under control, and no dangerous epidemics have occurred. However, with unfavorable weather conditions, combined with the outbreak of African swine fever, there is a high risk of this disease arising and spreading into the province.

 

According to statistics from the Veterinary Department, the province imported more than 2,100 pigs last week; since the beginning of the year, more than 93,200 pigs have been imported for breeding and more than 570 pigs have been imported for slaughter. The import of pigs to the province occurs regularly and continuously with a quantity of about 3,900 pigs per week. Therefore, in the current epidemic situation, the control of disease sources from outside must be tightened.

 

To prevent African swine fever from spreading into the province, the provincial Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine has strengthened control over the purchase and transportation of animals imported into the province. At the Hao Son Animal Quarantine Station (Dong Hoa Town), the unit is maintaining control 24/7, ensuring that all animals transported through the station are strictly inspected, and that infected animals and animal products without documents are not allowed to transit or enter the province.

 

In addition, currently, livestock and veterinary stations in districts, towns and cities are also coordinating with local authorities to focus on checking the import and export of pigs into the area to promptly detect and prevent the import of animals that do not meet health requirements, causing the spread of disease.

 

According to the Livestock and Veterinary Station of Song Hinh district, to effectively control the disease in the district's pig herd, this unit focuses on checking the purchase, import and export of pigs and other livestock on roads from neighboring provinces to the area and the slaughter, purchase and sale of animals and animal products at concentrated slaughter and animal trading points.

 

Nguyen Van Lam, Head of the Provincial Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, said: The Department has also directed its subordinate units to properly implement the procedures for quarantine of animals and animal products; strengthen veterinary hygiene inspections; inspect and monitor the animal disease situation to detect early and handle promptly, preventing the disease from spreading widely.

 

In addition, last week, the department inspected 46 points and slaughterhouses for livestock and poultry in the province. This work will continue in the coming time to raise awareness of veterinary hygiene at slaughterhouses and ensure the quality of meat brought to the market.

Veterinary forces monitor and control the disease situation in pigs in Phu Hoa district. Photo: NGUYEN CHUONG

 

Proactive epidemic prevention

 

Along with the efforts of the authorities, to effectively prevent African swine fever, farmers must proactively prevent disease for their livestock, especially vaccination.

 

According to the Phu Hoa District Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station, in addition to strengthening control, the station has stepped up propaganda and instructed local farmers to apply disease prevention measures for livestock. However, because there have been cases of pigs dying after being vaccinated against African swine fever in the locality, people are still hesitant to vaccinate their pigs with this vaccine.

 

Mr. Le Hung Vuong in Hoa Dinh Dong commune (Phu Hoa district) said: My family's pig herd currently has more than 20 breeding pigs and pigs for meat. My family is proactive in disease prevention because every time we get an epidemic, we lose everything. I am applying biosafety farming measures such as controlling the breeding pigs from the time they are imported, cleaning and disinfecting the barns periodically every week, controlling the source of food and water every day...

 

Regarding vaccination, the family has been vaccinated against common diseases such as swine fever, anthrax, etc. As for the African swine fever vaccine, the family has not been vaccinated yet because they are afraid of a similar incident happening again.

 

These are also concerns of many pig farmers today, so mobilizing people to get vaccinated against African swine fever is facing many difficulties. Up to now, the whole province has only been able to inject about 300 doses of African swine fever vaccine for a herd of about 148,000 pigs.

 

“Currently, African swine fever vaccines have been provided by local livestock and veterinary stations, ensuring their origin and making it convenient for people to vaccinate their livestock. At the same time, this vaccine has also been vaccinated by many large livestock farms and farmers in provinces and cities across the country, so people do not have to worry when vaccinating their livestock. In the current situation of African swine fever, vaccination against this disease will help prevent the disease most effectively,” Mr. Nguyen Van Lam emphasized.

The Prime Minister has just issued Directive 21/CT-TTg dated July 14, 2024 requesting ministries, branches and localities to strictly implement measures to prevent and control African swine fever.

 

The Prime Minister requested the Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and cities to perform a number of tasks: Directly direct and mobilize local resources to completely handle outbreaks, not allowing new outbreaks to occur; destroy sick pigs, suspected sick pigs, dead pigs, proactively implement policies to support farmers suffering losses due to epidemics in accordance with the provisions of law; promptly detect, prevent and strictly handle cases of buying, transporting sick pigs, dumping dead pigs that spread disease and pollute the environment. At the same time, guide farmers to apply measures to clean and disinfect barns and surrounding areas; promote biosafety farming, build disease-free farming facilities and areas; accurately count the total pig herd and the number of pigs vaccinated against African swine fever, on that basis approve plans, prioritize funding for centralized vaccine purchases and organize synchronous and simultaneous vaccination.

 

Chairmen of provincial and municipal People's Committees direct the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and People's Committees at all levels to strictly implement disease prevention and control work; strictly implement the reporting regime, ensure complete, timely and accurate disease data on the Online Animal Disease Reporting System; strictly handle cases of concealing diseases, slow reporting leading to disease spread. Consider handling the responsibility of heads if they are subjective, negligent in leadership and direction leading to disease outbreaks in the management area. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinates with local ministries and branches to arrange funding and resources to effectively implement the National Plan for African Swine Fever Prevention and Control for the period 2020-2025. The Ministry of Industry and Trade directs market management forces and relevant units to coordinate with veterinary forces, police, and traffic inspectors to strengthen control, detect, promptly prevent, and strictly handle cases of trading and transporting sick pigs and pig products of unknown origin and not yet quarantined in the market...

 

Narcissus

Source: https://baophuyen.vn/82/318582/chu-dong-ngan-chan-phong-ngua-dich-ta-heo-chau-phi.html