In the first 6 months of 2024, infectious diseases in cattle and poultry have complicated developments in many provinces and cities across the country, especially the recurrence of African Swine Fever. According to the announcement of the Department of Animal Health (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) as of July 7, 2024, the epidemic has been recorded in 44 provinces and cities nationwide, specialized agencies have coordinated with local authorities. The local government organized the destruction of over 40 thousand pigs.
To proactively prevent diseases in livestock herds effectively, especially to prevent disease outbreaks in the near future, pig farming facilities are required to implement some of the following specific measures:
1. When there is no disease
Strictly implementing biosecurity measures in livestock farming is an effective disease prevention solution and a sustainable direction for the livestock industry. The barn must have a fence and boundary isolated from the outside; take measures to kill insects and rodents; Do not allow dogs, cats, birds, mice, flies, mosquitoes, etc. to enter the camp
Restrict traders and visitors from entering and leaving the livestock area. In case of entering the barn, they must have the consent of the farm owner. Before entering, they must change their clothes and wear boots or shoes of the farm.
All forms of transportation, trading, slaughtering, and consumption of pigs and meat products from pigs of unknown origin are strictly prohibited in livestock areas and in and out of farms.
Strictly implement full vaccination and nutritional supplements in the daily diet to increase the resistance of pigs. Currently in Vietnam there is a disease prevention vaccine (DTLCP) produced by AVAC Vietnam Joint Stock Company. However, this is a new type of vaccine, so farmers need to consult the technical instructions of specialized agencies and manufacturers before inoculating pigs.
Provincial Department of Industry and Health and AVAC Vietnam Company vaccinate pigs against African Swine Fever
Feed and water must be hygienic and have a clear origin; Minimize the use of leftover feed and recycling from restaurants, hotels, and industrial parks. If you want to take advantage of this feed source, heat treatment is required to kill pathogens in the feed; At the same time, clean and disinfect feed containers before and after bringing them into the livestock area.
2. When a disease appears
Based on the symptoms of the disease, pigs have a high fever (40.5 – 42ºC) in the first 2 – 3 days, the animal stops eating, is lazy, lethargic, and lies in piles in the shade or near water.
The animal shows signs of abdominal pain, its back is curved and moves abnormally, some white skin areas turn red, especially the ears, tail, lower legs, the skin of the lower chest and abdomen may appear dark. purple blue. Before death, the animal has neurological symptoms, shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhea sometimes mixed with blood or possibly constipation; Pregnant pigs can abort at any stage. The death rate is as high as 100%.
When discovering a herd of pigs with the above symptoms, you must quickly notify the veterinary staff and local authorities to take measures; Stop exporting pig breeds and strictly control the export of products and materials from pig farming areas. Organize testing samples and destroy all infected and dead pigs. Destruction procedures follow the instructions of specialized veterinary agencies
Organize zoning to apply specific and appropriate technical solutions to fight epidemics, do not treat infected pigs or pigs suspected of having the disease (African Swine Fever) when there is a positive result, based on the nature and severity of the epidemic to request the authority to declare the epidemic according to the provisions of the Law on Animal Health
Organize general cleaning and disinfection continuously once a day within the first week. Stop transporting pigs and pig products, including processed and cooked products from places where they are determined positive for the disease (DTLCP), practice the “5 no’s” which are:
1. Do not hide fluids.
2. Do not buy, sell or transport sick or dead pigs.
3. Do not slaughter or consume sick or dead pigs.
4. Do not throw dead sick pigs into the environment.
5. Do not use leftover food that has not been heat treated to feed pigs.
After the epidemic is controlled, if there is a plan to re-produce livestock, livestock farms need to seriously implement the following steps to re-herd:
– Implement gradual restocking by raising indicators for a period of at least 21 days in reasonable numbers, monitoring to ensure no disease recurrence
– Every day, the number of pigs raised as an indicator must be closely monitored so that samples can be taken for testing to detect the pathogen of African Swine Fever.
At the end of the 21 – 25 day period, if the pig herd shows signs, shows no signs of disease or test samples show negative results for African Swine Fever, the breeding facilities can continue to re-herd. The re-production process at this time can raise 100% of the facility’s livestock scale. However, you still have to be careful
All organizations and individuals engaged in livestock and poultry farming in general and pig farming in particular need to seriously declare to local authorities before organizing livestock farming. Organizing to increase and regenerate pig herds according to the provisions of the Law on Animal Husbandry and applying measures to prevent infectious diseases on livestock herds according to the provisions of the Law on Veterinary Medicine, and acts of not strictly implementing regulations on animal husbandry on infectious disease prevention, if an epidemic occurs causing damage to the livestock economy and public health, based on the level of violation to take the highest appropriate handling measures that can be prosecuted. criminal responsibility.
Nguyen Minh Duc
Hai Duong Provincial Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine