January 7, 2009

                                         
Hogs dying in Philippine province; quarantine up

                         

 

The mysterious deaths of nearly four dozen pigs since December have prompted veterinary officials in the province of Davao del Sur in Southern Mindanao to quarantine animals in the region.

 

Renato Enanoria, regional quarantine officer, said the cause of the deaths had yet to be established.

 

Residents in Barangay (village) Pong-pong fear a loss of their livelihood as series of pig deaths took place.

 

Hog raiser Ranilo Tiwi said that he already lost nine hogs since the baffling disease started to affect animals in December.

 

Mercy Olalo, another hog raiser, said their animals would suddenly become weak and eventually die. The pigs, she said, developed red skin and salivated excessively.

 

Tiwi said alarmed residents immediately disposed of their animals but buyers returned the hogs that were already dead.

 

He added some of their neighbours slaughtered their weak animals and either sold or consumed the meat.

 

Municipal agriculturist Justin Masaganda has advised residents against slaughtering pending the outcome of the test conducted by veterinary officials.

 

Masaganda has yet to determine if past deaths in Mindanao were caused by hog cholera.

 

Antonio Lavega, municipal livestock coordinator, said they already told residents to bury the dead animals after testing to prevent the spread of the disease.

 

He said they had not concluded that the disease was communicable but it would be better to be careful.

 

Dr. Nestor Barroga, Davao del Sur veterinarian, said they were not imposing a ban on hogs and pork products from this town because the possibility the disease could be passed on humans have not been established yet.

 

His initial impression was that the hogs suffered some kind of pneumonia but testing is still underway.

 

Barroga said he suspected that erratic weather patterns caused the disease.