Insufficient attention has been paid to vaccinating livestock.

(Baonghean) - According to information from the Provincial Veterinary Department, the disease situation among livestock and poultry has been basically stable since the beginning of the year. However, the risk of disease outbreaks among livestock is high in the upcoming autumn and winter seasons, due to the low vaccination rates in many localities.

Nghe An province has the largest livestock population in the country. In recent years, the total livestock population has stabilized and shifted in distribution across regions. The quality of buffalo, cattle, and pig breeds has been improved, leading to continued growth in total livestock production and income. However, according to the assessment of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the first six months of 2015, the progress of vaccination and disinfection in livestock farming was slow. Currently, the weather is entering a period of hot weather, increasing the risk of dangerous diseases such as avian influenza, swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), and heatstroke.

According to Mr. Dang Van Minh, Deputy Head of the Provincial Veterinary Department, the vaccination rate for some types of vaccines in localities is still too low, especially the swine hemorrhagic septicemia vaccine which only reached 30.7% of the target, the swine cholera vaccine at 37% of the target, and the rabies vaccine for dogs at 32.9% of the target. Regarding avian influenza vaccines, most livestock farmers have not proactively purchased them for vaccination. Some vaccines, such as those for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) and Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), are expensive, and farmers are unable to afford them, still relying on government support.

Veterinary officers in Hung Nguyen district are vaccinating cattle against hemorrhagic septicemia.

One of the biggest challenges currently facing livestock vaccination is the lack of attention and decisive direction from many local authorities, who have largely delegated this responsibility to the Veterinary Department. In Nghia Hanh commune (Tan Ky district), a mountainous area with a large livestock farming area and a key economic sector alongside forestry, the vaccination rate is very low. Specifically, in the spring of 2015, the vaccination rate against hemorrhagic septicemia in buffaloes and cattle reached only 30%, while that of pigs was nearly 10%, and most poultry were not vaccinated.

Mr. Vo Trong Phuong, Secretary of the Party Committee of Nghia Hanh commune, shared: Although the Party Committee has directed the development of programs, plans, and projects for livestock farming and vaccination plans, the implementation process has lacked decisiveness. For a long time, the commune has delegated this responsibility to the hamlets and the Veterinary Department, and the high or low results for each hamlet and household have not been specifically addressed after each vaccination campaign.

Tan Ky is a mountainous locality with a total herd of nearly 46,000 cattle and buffaloes, over 47,000 pigs, and over 776,000 poultry. The district has 40 integrated livestock farms and family farms that meet the required standards. In previous years, several outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and swine fever occurred in the district, causing significant losses in livestock farming. Since the beginning of 2015, FMD outbreaks have also occurred in some livestock in Tan Lap hamlet, Dong Van commune. The cause is attributed to the failure of local residents to vaccinate their animals against the disease.

Mr. Le Duc Tinh, Head of the Tan Ky District Veterinary Station, said: Currently, 89 out of 266 hamlets in the district receive subsidized vaccination, but this amount of vaccine only meets about 20-25% of the total herd (depending on the commune), with the rest having to be purchased by the people themselves. Due to the characteristics of free-range, small-scale livestock farming, many communes have not yet established a vaccination mechanism, so the vaccination rate remains low. In the spring of 2015, vaccination against diseases in buffalo and cattle herds only reached 60%, vaccination for pigs reached 10-15% of the total herd, and poultry flocks were almost unvaccinated. This is also a common situation in many districts.

Mr. Dang Van Minh, Deputy Head of the Provincial Veterinary Department, added: To date, the amount of vaccines against hemorrhagic septicemia in buffaloes, cattle, and pigs provided by the State to 11 mountainous districts only meets 30% of the number of livestock requiring vaccination. Most districts are facing difficulties in mobilizing people to invest in purchasing vaccines for their livestock, especially the lowland districts.

Another equally important issue in livestock vaccination is that local authorities have not implemented or have not strictly enforced penalties for violations, leading to low vaccination rates. Mr. Nguyen Huu Thong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hung Tan commune (Hung Nguyen district), acknowledged: Decree 119/CP stipulates the functions and authority of all levels of government, from the commune level upwards, to handle violations in livestock disease vaccination. However, imposing administrative penalties on organizations and individuals who fail to vaccinate their livestock and poultry is difficult, resulting in low vaccination rates.

According to recommendations from the provincial veterinary department, this year's prolonged hot weather weakens the animals' resistance, increasing the spread of diseases in livestock and the environment, especially hemorrhagic septicemia in buffaloes, cattle, and pigs, and outbreaks of avian influenza, easily leading to high mortality rates, particularly among livestock that have not been thoroughly vaccinated. The upcoming autumn vaccination season coincides with the transition to the rainy season, so the vaccination rate and targets are predicted to be more difficult to achieve than in the spring. To ensure the effectiveness of autumn vaccination for livestock, given limited state budget, many localities need to proactively implement appropriate policies and provide financial support for building a grassroots veterinary network. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen propaganda efforts and create consensus among the people to implement livestock vaccination, contributing to improved efficiency in livestock farming, especially in high mountainous districts. In particular, timely intervention from local government leaders is crucial in addressing vaccination violations through decisive administrative measures.

Luong Mai