The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) here has reminded hog raisers, traders, butchers, meat processors, and vendors to adhere to government protocols to prevent the re-entry of African swine fever (ASF) in the province. While hog repopulation is currently intensified in various parts of Ilocos Norte, provincial veterinary officer Dr. Loida Valenzuela on Thursday reminded the public to cooperate with local authorities to avoid ASF. ‘Let us not be hard-headed to ensure that our province is safe from ASF,’ she said. Valenzuela issued the reminder following a report of a new ASF case in a neighboring province which she did not name. She said based on the report, the new ASF case was traced from the transport of piglets from a non-certified ASF-free farm. She reiterated that there should be no entry of hogs, pork meat, and processed meat without proper documents. Exempted here are breeders from accredited breeder farms with ASF-free certification and piglets used for the government’s sentineling program. Instead of transporting breeders from one place to another, Valenzuela advised that semen from ASF-free certified farms can be used. She also urged hog raisers not to use water from creeks, irrigation canals, or rivers to avoid contamination and to always practice biosecurity measures in pigpens. ‘Lastly, please report if anything happens to your hogs to contain the spread of the ASF virus,’ she added. Currently, the province of Ilocos Norte has reimposed stringent border protocols, including quarantine checkpoints, to prevent ASF from infecting hogs in their areas. Checkpoints are set up in all possible entry points for the delivery of hogs while backyard slaughtering of hogs is strictly prohibited. In 2020, ASF wrought severe damage to the Ilocos Norte hog industry, valued at around PHP4.98 billion. The latest market monitoring showed that pork prices in the province ranged from PHP300 to PHP320 per kilo.
Source: Philippines News Agency
