Nghe An: Buffalo and beef sales remain sluggish despite lumpy skin disease not being contagious to humans

CONSUMERS "AVOID" BUFFALO AND BEEF MEAT

In recent days,lumpy skin diseaseappeared in some localities in Vinh city: Nghi Lien, Nghi Duc, Nghi Phu with a total of about 50 infected buffaloes and cows. In the face of the complicated epidemic situation, consumers are afraid to use buffalo and beef meat as food in daily meals, many people even remove buffalo, beef and veal meat from the menu.

Ms. Tran Chau Anh, a housewife in Hung Dung ward, said: "Although I know that lumpy skin disease is not contagious to humans, I am still scared when I see pictures of sick cows. Therefore, while the epidemic is going on, my family has temporarily stopped eating dishes made from buffalo, cows, and calves."

This is what has caused buffalo and beef traders to fall into a slump. Ms. Hoang Thi Luong, a beef trader at Quan Lau market (Truong Thi ward, Vinh city) said: “Beef prices remain stable (VND200,000 - VND240,000/kg) but purchasing power has decreased significantly. Normally, retail sales are about 15-20 kg per day, but now they are only 5-7 kg, sometimes not even enough. Although this disease does not spread to humans and we get beef from licensed slaughterhouses with quarantine certificates, housewives are still afraid.”

The epidemic has made consumers hesitant to choose buffalo and beef meat for family meals. As a result, meat from these animals is sluggish in traditional markets. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Before the lumpy skin disease in buffaloes and cows appeared, every day Nguyen Thi Ngoc and her husband (Thanh Hoa, Thanh Chuong) slaughtered a calf, transported 70 kg of meat to Vinh to sell at Coi market and Ben Thuy market. "By 11am, the meat and bones were gone, but these past few days, the sales have been very slow. 50 kg of veal was divided into 4 selling points, had to stay and sell all afternoon but still not sold. Especially the number of customers from restaurants and hotels has decreased significantly."

As a result, items such as ham, sausages made from beef are also lacking customers. Many breakfast restaurants specializing in beef noodle soup, in response to customers' fear of beef, have also sold chicken pho, eel soup, etc.

In Quynh Luu district, the locality has just recorded 2 positive samples of lumpy skin disease in cattle in Quynh Bang commune. However, according to records at markets in the district, the consumption of buffalo, beef, and buffalo meat has decreased slightly; the price of beef remains at 230,000 - 250,000 VND/kg (depending on the type).

Ms. Hoang Thi Luong, a trader at Quan Lau market (Vinh city) said that beef consumption has decreased by 50% compared to before the lumpy skin disease outbreak. Photo: Thanh Phuc

STRENGTHENING QUARANTINE TO ENSURE SAFE MEAT SOURCE

Mr. Tran Minh Quan - Deputy Director of the Agricultural Service Center of Quynh Luu district said that the lumpy skin disease outbreak in Quynh Bang commune has been detected for more than 10 days. The unit directed local veterinary officers to guide people on disease prevention, and advised farmers not to buy, sell, slaughter, or transport buffalo, cows, and tamarind to the area to ensure quarantine. At the market, when buying buffalo, cow, and tamarind meat, people need to carefully check the origin and quality.

As of March 25, in Nghe An, there were 12 districts, towns and cities with buffaloes and cows infected with this disease: Nghi Loc, Hung Nguyen, Dien Chau, Quynh Luu, Nghia Dan, Tan Ky, Do Luong, Anh Son, Quy Chau, Hoang Mai Town, Thai Hoa Town and Vinh City.

Mr. Ngo Duc Quynh - Deputy Head of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine affirmed: "Lumpy skin disease in buffaloes and cows is not transmitted to humans. Currently, this disease is being strictly controlled,quarantine workat slaughterhouses are tightened to ensure safe meat sources when released to the market. Therefore, consumers should not turn their backs on buffalo and beef meat. Currently, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine has received 10,000 doses of vaccine.Lumpy skin disease vaccines for buffalo and cows were imported from Türkiye for vaccination, hoping the disease will soon be pushed back.

However, to ensure health, consumers need to buy meat with clear origin, quarantine stamp, and origin; carefully check the signs on the meat such as color, natural stickiness, no slime or wetness when pressing on the meat, no foul smell. At the same time, it is necessary to comply with eating cooked food and drinking boiled water.

Vinh City's interdisciplinary delegation coordinated with the provincial Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine to inspect animal product trading locations on sidewalks and at markets in Vinh City. Photo: Phu Huong

The Vinh City interdisciplinary delegation in coordination with the Nghe An Province Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department has just inspected the animal product trading points on the sidewalks and at the markets in Vinh City. On Nguyen Sy Sach Street, Hung Phuc Ward (Vinh City), the delegation inspected a number of establishments trading Nam Nghia grilled tamarind meat, buffalo and beef. During the inspection, the delegation discovered and recorded 2 establishments trading in animal products without a license, without a slaughter control mark, veterinary hygiene stamp, violating food hygiene and safety with a weight of over 80 kg.

At Quan Lau market, Truong Thi ward, the interdisciplinary inspection team drew up a record of administrative fines, and at the same time propagated and reminded the owners of the establishments to comply with regulations on business, trade, and transportation of animal products on the market, and not to trade in diseased animal products, especially during the current outbreak of lumpy skin disease in buffaloes and cows.