LAOAG CITY – More than 1,000 pigs in Solsona and its neighboring Dingras town in Ilocos Norte have been culled to contain the spread of African swine fever (ASF), the Provincial Veterinary Office reported on Monday.
While depopulation is ongoing within the infected zone, Dr. Loida Valenzuela, provincial veterinarian, has urged hog raisers to cooperate with local authorities by reporting an unusual death of pigs in their areas and to refrain from feeding them with swills or getting their water from an irrigation canal.
According to Valenzuela, they are still investigating what triggered the outbreak which started in the remote Manalpac village in Solsona town with a few number of small hog raisers.
During the course of their investigation, they found out that a farmer from Barangay Maan-anteng in Solsona town dumped his dead piglets and sow in a water irrigation system that spread to other sub-villages.
“All adjacent municipalities near the border of Apayao are being alerted as we have received reports that their area was already heavily infested,” she said in an interview.
Based on ASF containment guidelines, all animals located within 500 meters from the infected zone need to be culled, regardless if these are infected or not.
In Dingras town, depopulation is also ongoing while Mayor Joefrey P. Saguid has ordered the establishment of additional border checkpoints to regulate the movement of live hogs and pork products in the municipality.
To assist hog raisers, the Department of Agriculture has allocated around PHP110 million under its budget from the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) for swine multiplier farm under the national livestock program. The livestock program is now being rolled out in the province by giving more hogs to backyard raisers to ensure food security.
Hog raisers are also advised to insure their pigs with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation
Source: Philippines News Agency
