THE Department of Agriculture (DA) Central Luzon has started distributing sentinel piglets to areas affected by the African Swine Fever (ASF) in Central Luzon.
The move is under the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (Inspire) of the DA's National Livestock Program.
Dr. Eduardo L. Lapuz Jr., DA-Central Luzon regional technical director for operations and extension, said on Friday, September 3, 2021, the objective of the program is to help hog raisers revive their source of livelihood which were affected by ASF.
“Ang layunin nito ay upang makabalik sa pagaalaga yung ating mga backyard hog raiser. Maibalik yung nawala nilang kabuhayan, maitaas ang produksyon and at the same time, bumaba naman ang presyo ng baboy sa merkado (The goal is to let our backyard hog raisers go back in raising pigs. To bring back their lost livelihood, increase the production, and at the same time, bring down the prices of pork in the markets),” Lapuz said in video interview.
He said the DA started the distribution in Nueva Ecija and Bataan.
“Bawat hog raiser ay makatatanggap ng apat na sentinel piglets na may bigat na 15 to 20 kilograms at may kasamang 12 bags of feeds na kanilang gagamitin sa loob ng 40 days at may kasama rin na gamot kung sakaling magkakasakit ang mga baboy (Each hog raiser will receive four sentinel piglets weighing 15 to 20 kilograms. Also included are 12 bags of feeds that can be used within 40 days and medicines in case the pigs get sick),” Lapuz said.
To become qualified recipients, the DA official said the hog raiser’s farm must be disinfected and pass the environmental swabbing.
Around 6,000 sentinel piglets will be distributed in 60 ASF-hit areas in the seven provinces in the region, namely Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales.
Lapuz said the repopulation of hogs can only be allowed if the pigs could survive and progress to maturity without any trace of ASF virus based on the close monitoring and laboratory results of blood samples.
He reminded the backyard hog raisers not to feed the pigs with swill which is the main cause of the spread of the ASF and to strictly comply with the biosecurity protocols. (PNA)