Risk of extinction of Ky Son specialty black pig breed due to swine fever

Quarantine checkpoints are deserted

The first quarantine checkpoint of Ky Son district is located in Hong Tien village, Chieu Luu commune. Photo: Huu Vi

Moving in the direction of Tuong Duong - Ky Son on National Highway 7A, it is easy to see a quarantine checkpoint sign located at Hong Tien village, Chieu Luu commune. However, the presence of quarantine forces here is rarely noticed.

According to the reporter's records in Bac Ly commune on the afternoon of May 30, the epidemic control work in this area is very lax. Meanwhile, two samples collected in Buoc and Phia Kham villages tested positive for African swine fever. Right on National Highway 16 leading to Bac Ly commune, there is a handwritten sign: "Quarantine checkpoint" but there is no presence of functional forces here.

At the quarantine checkpoint in Huoi Cang village, Bac Ly commune (photo taken on the afternoon of May 30), there was no presence of any force on duty. Photo: Lu Phu

When entering the Buoc village, people could not realize that African swine fever was occurring in this Thai community. The village did not have a quarantine checkpoint, while people still had the habit of letting their pigs roam freely.

Mr. Vi Van Tien, in charge of veterinary medicine in Buoc village, said that by the afternoon of May 30, 70 pigs had died in this area. Previously, on May 27, samples taken in this village tested positive for African swine fever. According to people in Buoc village, the pigs that died from the disease were all raised in a free-range manner. Currently, many other pigs kept in captivity by households are also showing signs of illness, not eating, having nosebleeds, being lazy, hiding in the dark, etc.

Mr. Lo Van Son, Buoc village, Bac Ly commune, brought dead pigs to destroy. Photo: Huu Vi

Mr. Lo Van Son, who raised 10 pigs in Buoc village, said that his family had destroyed 7 dead pigs. There are 2 pigs left, but they have stopped eating and are lying around, preparing to be destroyed.

Some people in Buoc village said that some dead sows weighing hundreds of kilograms had to be butchered and transported to landfills. Some people disposed of the carcasses by dumping them in the forest.

Although the results were positive for African swine fever, no pig pens in Buoc village have been sprayed with pesticides. People in Buoc village said that sick and dead pigs have been happening for many weeks and they do not know the cause. People have bought medicine to inject but it is not effective.

“The previous times the pigs were vaccinated, they were cured. But this time, many pigs died,” said Mr. Lo Van Son.

People in Buoc village still have the habit of letting pigs roam free and keeping them under stilt houses. Photo: Huu Vi

Risk of extinction of native black pig breed

In Huoi Cang 2 village (Bac Ly commune), out of 200 black pigs in the village, some have died. As for Huoi Cang 1 village, according to information from the Management Board of this Khmu village, people raised 188 pigs here, but they all died, so the veterinary staff have not had time to take samples.

People of Huoi Cang 1 village, Bac Ly commune dry pork on the kitchen loft to eat gradually. Photo: Huu Vi

Many people in Huoi Cang 1 village, when asked, said they did not know what disease caused the pigs to die. Some families even slaughtered sick and dead pigs and dried them in the kitchen loft to eat later.

Information from the commune authorities said that pigs are still sick and dying in other villages. Currently, 11/21 towns in Ky Son have detected African swine fever in their pig herds, including communes such as: Muong Ai, Muong Tip, Bac Ly, Na Loi, Keng Du, Ta Ca, Huu Kiem, Bao Nam, Bao Thang, Pha Danh and Muong Xen town...

In Muong Ai commune alone, according to the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune, Lu Quang Hung, up to this point, 70 pigs have died in 4/6 villages in the whole commune. Similar phenomena have also occurred in communes such as Chieu Luu and My Ly.

Bac Ly commune officials check a herd of sick pigs in Huoi Cang 2 village. Photo: Lu Phu

“It is possible that in just a short time, the native black pig breed, a specialty of Ky Son district, will be wiped out. Perhaps the government needs to intervene more decisively,” a breeder said.

According to information from the Ky Son District Veterinary Station, as of May 31, 11 communes and towns had tested positive for African swine fever. The local government has declared the epidemic in the affected areas. However, the locality has not yet declared the epidemic in the entire district.

A herd of pigs running loose on the road in Ta Ca commune. This is one of the communes where African swine fever was detected in Ky Son. Photo: Lu Phu

According to Mr. Nguyen Cong Hieu, Head of the Veterinary Station of Ky Son District, as of May 31, Muong Xen Town is the 11th commune-level administrative unit identified to have African swine fever. However, while the test results are not yet available, the pig farmer in Block 4, Muong Xen Town has slaughtered and sold the meat. According to Mr. Hieu, the lack of cooperation of the people is also one of the reasons why African swine fever in this border district has become difficult to control.

According to information from the Department of Agriculture of Ky Son district, before the outbreak of African swine fever, the total pig herd of the district was 25,000.

Ky Son border district, where livestock farming is a spearhead of economic development, meanwhile African swine fever has spread to 11 communes. Photo: Google Maps