Promote foot-and-mouth disease vaccination for livestock

Since the beginning of 2025, the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment has proactively advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue many documents directing and guiding the work of preventing and controlling animal diseases. In particular, Plan No. 73/KH-UBND dated April 4, 2025 and Official Dispatch No. 1559/UBND-NLN dated April 17, 2025 have requested localities to organize FMD vaccination for buffalo and cattle, ensuring that at least 80% of the total herd is vaccinated.

On that basis, the Department has prepared more than 94,520 doses of FMD vaccine, of which 67,525 doses have been distributed to districts, towns and cities. The allocation has been carried out promptly, to the right subjects, ensuring effective service for this vaccination campaign. By the end of May, the whole province had only vaccinated more than 51,660 doses, reaching about 39% of the total livestock herd.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Dien - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of the province said: "The low rate of LMLM vaccination in the first phase is because currently livestock farming in the province is mainly done on a small scale, by households, scattered and not concentrated, so managing the number of livestock and organizing mass vaccination is still facing many difficulties; some households are not proactive in arranging time to bring livestock to the barn for vaccination or are still subjective and do not vaccinate their livestock...".

In addition, at the commune level, many veterinary staff still hold multiple positions, lack expertise or do not have enough medical equipment and supplies, causing the vaccination process to be interrupted. Some localities have not yet allocated funds in a timely manner, making veterinary staff unqualified to go to the grassroots to perform their duties. Reporting and statistics in many places are also delayed and inaccurate, causing difficulties in assessing and adjusting the vaccination plan for the whole province.

Although vaccination work still faces many difficulties, there are still bright spots. Some localities such as Nghia Lo, Yen Binh and Luc Yen towns have proactively allocated funds to support veterinary forces and purchase vaccination supplies.

These efforts help the implementation at the grassroots level to take place more smoothly and effectively. As a locality assessed to have a high rate of FMD vaccination for livestock, Nghia Lo town has promoted propaganda work to each livestock household, sending staff to closely follow the vaccination schedule of communes and wards...

Mr. Tran Van Viet - Deputy Director of the Agricultural Development Support Service Center of Nghia Lo town said: "The Center coordinates with the People's Committees of communes and wards to promote propaganda for people to understand the effects of vaccination to protect livestock."

In the first phase, the town was given 6,900 doses, and has so far administered nearly 5,850 doses, reaching 84.73% of the plan and nearly 60% of the total herd.

Mr. Luong Van Thom, Na Duong village, Thach Luong commune shared: "The herd of over ten buffaloes is a great asset of the family, so every time it is time for vaccination, I take the initiative to vaccinate. My family has developed livestock farming for many years, thanks to focusing on disease prevention, especially vaccination, the livestock has never had an epidemic."

Animal disease prevention in general and FMD vaccination in particular can only be effective if there is consensus from both the political system and the people. In fact, places that do well are places where local authorities strongly direct and closely coordinate with the agricultural sector and people have a clear awareness of protecting livestock.

In the context of the livestock industry facing many challenges from climate change and market prices, disease prevention by vaccination is the most economical and effective solution to protect the results of farmers' labor. With the drastic participation, Yen Bai province hopes to soon achieve the target of vaccinating 80% of the total herd and effectively prevent the risk of disease outbreaks in 2025.

Hong Duyen

Source: https://baoyenbai.com.vn/12/351255/Day-manh-tiem-vac-xin-lo-mom-l111ng-mong-cho-gia-suc.aspx