Efforts to preserve original pig breeds amid African swine fever outbreak

Since 2015, Thien Thuan Tuong Mineral Exploitation Joint Stock Company has been the unit that maintains the original Mong Cai pig breed for the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and Quang Ninh province, maintains the parent pigs, great-grandparent pigs, and some imported pig breeds for some partner enterprises. During the production and business process of the unit, Thien Thuan Tuong Mineral Exploitation Joint Stock Company has not had any major outbreaks of pig diseases, including African swine fever, a dangerous pig disease that has no vaccine to prevent and no cure yet.

Pigs are raised at Thien Thuan Tuong Mineral Exploitation Joint Stock Company.

Pigs are raised at Thien Thuan Tuong Mineral Exploitation Joint Stock Company. Photo: Tuan Ngoc (Contributor)

According to Ms. Chu Thi Thu Thuy, Head of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine (under the Department of Agriculture and Environment), since the beginning of the year, in the context of the African swine fever outbreak, by the end of August, nationwide, African swine fever has been present in 34/34 provinces and cities, forcing the destruction of over 100,000 pigs. In Quang Ninh, over 330 households in 82 hamlets of 35 communes, wards and special zones have had outbreaks of African swine fever. The number of pigs that died and were forced to be destroyed due to the epidemic is over 5,600, weighing 295,000 kg.

Determined to be “negative” for African swine fever and preserve production, Thien Thuan Tuong Mineral Exploitation Joint Stock Company has implemented a scientific and strict disease prevention and control process. The unit strictly follows the sanitation process, clears the livestock area, organizes the extermination of insects, sprays disinfectants on barns and housing areas, dining halls, warehouses outside the barns, washes barns with chloramine B solution; transfers, isolates, disinfects, and sterilizes daily pig farming supplies (feed, veterinary medicine, etc.).

At the present time, which is considered the peak of African swine fever, Thien Thuan Tuong Mineral Exploitation Joint Stock Company strictly monitors the stages of transporting pigs in and out of the farm. The buying and selling and inspection of pigs are carried out in a location separate from the farm area. Workers are isolated and disinfected with formaldehyde, potassium permanganate, and UV rays before directly caring for the pigs. Periodically or suddenly, Thien Thuan Tuong Mineral Exploitation Joint Stock Company takes samples to check and monitor the health of the entire herd of pigs. Pigs are given cooked food, boiled water, and are supplemented with vitamins and minerals and raised in small, separate pens. Most recently, Thien Thuan Tuong Mineral Exploitation Joint Stock Company has implemented a plan to bring some parent pigs and original breeding pigs to raise separately in island areas according to regulations and implement preventive raising at the unit's second breeding facility located on a hill far from the residential area in Ba Che commune.

According to Mr. Tran Hoa, Director of Thien Thuan Tuong Mineral Exploitation Joint Stock Company, the implementation of measures to prevent African swine fever is very necessary. This disease has appeared for hundreds of years in history, is present globally, and to date there is still no vaccine or medicine to prevent or treat it.

Vietnamese and Chinese

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/no-luc-giu-giong-lon-goc-trong-boi-canh-dich-ta-lon-chau-phi-bung-phat-3374514.html