A vet disinfects a truck carrying pigs in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang’s Long Xuyen City. In a bid to prevent African swine fever from spreading, the provincial veterinary department has set up quarantine stations to control the origin of pigs transported to slaughterhouses and the transportation of pig products. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - African swine fever(ASF) posed a substantial threat to the pig farming industry although measureshave been taken to stop the disease from spreading, said Minister ofAgriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong at the first meeting of thenational steering committee for the prevention and control of ASF in Hanoi onMarch 26.
Cuong warned that the disease would spreadacross the country very quickly unless localities and agencies took drasticmeasures.
The risk of the disease spreading was high dueto adverse weather and the fact that most pigs were bred on a small scale, hesaid.
According to Nguyen Van Long from the Departmentof Animal Health, as of March 25, ASF had been reported in 21 cities andprovinces across the country. Nearly 65,000 pigs had been culled.
ASF was first reported in smallholdings, butsince March 20, it has spread to farms operating on a wider scale. He cited aherd of 4,500 animals in Dong Tao commune in Hung Yen province’s Khoai Chau district,as an example.
To prevent the spread of ASF, Cuong hasinstructed localities to adopt epidemic prevention, monitoring, detection andhandling mentions to ensure prevention and control.
He asked breeders with big herds, particularlythose with sows, to strengthen preventive measures to safeguard the piglets.
“There are still vehicles transporting pigs andpork products from northern to southern provinces. This must be stopped,” hesaid.
Cuong also said that to ensure the long-termdevelopment of the livestock sector, including pig farming, Vietnam wasstudying the production of a vaccine against ASF.-VNA
Cuong warned that the disease would spreadacross the country very quickly unless localities and agencies took drasticmeasures.
The risk of the disease spreading was high dueto adverse weather and the fact that most pigs were bred on a small scale, hesaid.
According to Nguyen Van Long from the Departmentof Animal Health, as of March 25, ASF had been reported in 21 cities andprovinces across the country. Nearly 65,000 pigs had been culled.
ASF was first reported in smallholdings, butsince March 20, it has spread to farms operating on a wider scale. He cited aherd of 4,500 animals in Dong Tao commune in Hung Yen province’s Khoai Chau district,as an example.
To prevent the spread of ASF, Cuong hasinstructed localities to adopt epidemic prevention, monitoring, detection andhandling mentions to ensure prevention and control.
He asked breeders with big herds, particularlythose with sows, to strengthen preventive measures to safeguard the piglets.
“There are still vehicles transporting pigs andpork products from northern to southern provinces. This must be stopped,” hesaid.
Cuong also said that to ensure the long-termdevelopment of the livestock sector, including pig farming, Vietnam wasstudying the production of a vaccine against ASF.-VNA
VNA
