MORE than 100 pigs were depopulated in the province of Benguet in July in order to contain the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF).
This also prompted the Benguet Provincial Veterinary Office to reiterate its call for hog raisers in the province to strengthen its biosecurity measures which seeks to minimize the risk of transmission of infectious diseases to people, animal and plants caused by the virus.
Doctor Miriam Tiongan, provincial veterinarian disclosed since the last week of January up to July 31, there were 509 pigs that were culled in the province to prevent further spread of ASF.
Records from the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVET) reveled 201 pigs were culled last week of January to February, 173 from May to June and 135 in July.
For the month of July, Tiongan said their office recorded new cases of ASF in the towns of Tuba and Sablan.
The provincial veterinarian disclosed various factors may have caused the increasing number of cases comprised of the continuous swill feeding locally known as “arasaw.”
La Trinidad, Itogon, Tuba were earlier identified as ASF red zones while Tublay and Sablan was declared as pink zone or municipalities adjacent to the red zone areas.
Buguias, Kabayan, Bokod, Bakun, Mankayan, Atok, Kibungan, Kapangan remain ASF free and were declared as light green zones.
PVET are asking local hog raisers in ASF free areas to protect their pigpens that continue to be the source of pigs amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Tiongan added there should be limited visitors going into the pigpens, and for hog raisers to maintain cleanliness within the area.
PVET also urged all swine raisers to register in their respective barangays for faster information dissemination regarding ASF and to report the death of swine/s to their office.
ASF is a severe viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs.