The Department of Agriculture (DA) yesterday said it has put in place bio-security measures in Magpet, North Cotabato with the detection of African swine fever (ASF) in the area.
The DA said the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) of North Cotabato received reports of swine mortalities in backyard farms in Barangay Ilian last June 29 which immediately led to an investigation, surveillance and monitoring.
The DA said when the samples collected were tested positive for ASF viral DNA, it conducted another disease investigation in adjacent barangays which recorded 68 swine mortalities.
“We implemented a modified 1-7-10 protocol where only the pigs within the 500 meters from the affected farm were subjected to mandatory culling. About 123 pigs owned by 48 farmers were culled and properly disposed. Cleaning and disinfection immediately followed after the culling activities,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes, said in a virtual briefing.
The DA said the depopulation was conducted in three sitios in Barangay Ilian and one sitio in Barangay Magkaalam.
Two animal quarantine checkpoints were established and movement restrictions of live pigs, pork and pork products and by-products and disinfection of vehicles going in and out the affected areas were conducted.
Reyes said investigations are ongoing to confirm if the carrier of the ASF virus in the area was from a local manufacturer of chorizo as reports claimed.
“We also remind hog raisers to refrain from feeding pigs with swill and use foot baths and gloves inside the farm and maintain proper hygiene. We also encourage swine stakeholders in the area to report any unusual swine mortalities to veterinary offices,” Reyes said.
As of last month, the total number of culled pigs due to ASF has hit 309,387.
ASF is present in eight regions of the country.
Based on DA’s latest submitted report to the World Organization for Animal Health, among the most recent ASF outbreaks between February 17 and June 10 or prior to North Cotabato were in Ifugao, Pangasinan, Camarines Sur, Isabela, Zambales, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon Province and La Union.
The report said these cases caused the mortality of 147 hogs and the culling of 10,543 heads.
Pangasinan recorded the biggest number of hogs culled with a total of 6,943 followed by Camarines Sur with 2,112 and Zambales with 336.
Earlier ASF cases recorded in Mindanao were in Davao Occidental and Davao del Sur.
Other provinces where cases of ASF were previously recorded include Benguet, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Cagayan Province, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Aurora, Batangas, Cavite as well as in the National Capital Region.
