Localities bordering Thanh Hoa actively prevent African swine fever

After receiving information that an outbreak of African swine fever had occurred in Thanh Hoa province, Mr. Ho Van Tam's family in Quynh Giang commune (Quynh Luu) was extremely worried because it is a neighboring locality with National Highway 1A passing through, so the risk of spreading will be very high.

To proactively prevent the epidemic, Mr. Tam proactively used leaves such as grapefruit peel, longan peel, lemongrass... to fumigate his herd of nearly 100 pigs. At the same time, he cleaned the barn and added digestive enzymes to the food to increase resistance, helping the pigs stay healthy and resist the epidemic.

"In addition to proactively preventing disease, my family hopes that the authorities will further educate people about disease prevention and how to avoid the spread of the disease," Mr. Tam shared.

After learning about the African swine fever outbreak in Thanh Hoa province, livestock farmers in Quynh Luu are actively taking measures to prevent it. Photo: Viet Hung

According to data from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quynh Luu district, the district currently has a total herd of 45,000 - 55,000 pigs; there are currently more than 50 farms and hundreds of small and scattered households... To prevent African swine fever, Quynh Luu district has issued an official dispatch directing 33 communes and towns in the area to implement epidemic prevention. The district Veterinary Station has assigned staff to the area to propagate to people about how to prevent African swine fever.

Mr. Tran Minh Quan - Acting Head of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station of Quynh Luu district said: African swine fever is very dangerous, causing many deaths and rapid deaths in pig herds, so disease prevention work must be timely, focusing on controlling transportation and trade, not allowing pigs of unknown origin that have not been quarantined to flood into the locality.

Quynh Luu district veterinary staff and the commune veterinary board focused on spraying disinfectant inside and outside the barns and the entrance to the barn. Photo: Viet Hung

According to the District Veterinary Station, to deal with African swine fever, the unit assigned station staff to go to localities to advise farmers to regularly clean and spray disinfectants to kill pathogens; take measures to prevent insects; do not participate in buying, selling, transporting, or consuming any sick pigs, pigs suspected of being sick, or sick pork products; buy breeding pigs of clear origin; do not use leftover food; do not use uncooked food. When detecting sick pigs, absolutely do not sell them; do not slaughter them; do not throw dead pigs into the environment, because this disease has no treatment or vaccine...

In Hoang Mai town, a locality bordering Thanh Hoa province, disease prevention work on pigs is being vigorously implemented by local departments and agencies.

Mr. Hoang Ngoc Thuy - Head of the Economic - Infrastructure Department of Hoang Mai town said that to prevent the outbreak, the locality has set up 24/7 checkpoints on major roads to control vehicles transporting pigs of unknown origin passing through the area. Directing wards and communes such as Quynh Loc, Quynh Vinh, Quynh Thien... to coordinate with the town's Veterinary Station to spray disinfectants at pig farms and households.

"The work of preventing and controlling African swine fever is being closely directed by the local authorities. Livestock farmers have proactively taken many disease prevention measures to prevent the spread of the disease and avoid economic losses," added Mr. Hoang Ngoc Thuy.

Along with spraying disinfectant, using lime powder spread evenly around the barn is a safe solution to prevent the spread of viruses. Photo: Viet Hung

Along with implementing disease prevention in localities and each livestock household, the Bac Nghe An Animal Quarantine Station located in Quynh Thien ward, Hoang Mai town is also actively controlling vehicles transporting animals on National Highway 1A.

Mr. Dau Dang Dinh - Head of the Bac Nghe An Animal Quarantine Station said that after receiving the directive from the Provincial Veterinary Department on African swine fever prevention, the unit held a meeting and deployed many plans to prevent and control animal transport vehicles on the road. When vehicles carrying animals pass through the station, they must present documents and origin; at the same time, they directed the force to spray disinfectant and check animals on the vehicle.

Spraying disinfectant at the Bac Nghe An Animal Quarantine Station. Photo: Viet Hung

"In the face of the heat of African swine fever, in recent days, the station has mobilized all human resources, coordinated with the local traffic police force to handle vehicles transporting animals with signs of violations, and resolutely not allowed pigs with signs of disease to pass through the station" - Mr. Dinh added./.