New crackdown on Vietnamese livestock

 

 

Hanoi's animal health teams are to strengthen surveillance at main checkpoints to curb the transportation of unquarantined animals and animal products, according to the city's Animal Health Department.

 

The move is aimed at ensuring food safety and hygiene for city consumers during the Lunar New Year, when chicken is served as a traditional dish for all Vietnamese families.

 

According to the department's representative Ho Thanh Ha, police, animal health inspectors and market watch teams will conduct round-the-clock checks on poultry, livestock and other products at nine checkpoints throughout the city, as of this month.

 

Figures from the city's Animal Health Department show that about 450 tonnes of poultry is consumed each day in Hanoi, of which nearly 30% is imported from other provinces.

 

There are nearly 15 slaughterhouses and 300 markets selling poultry and livestock products in Hanoi.

 

The slaughter, transport and trade of these products are still complicated and hard to control as people try to take alternative routes to avoid the checkpoints.

 

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has urged animal health authorities to focus on curbing bird flu and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in livestock.

 

According to acting head of the department Hoang Van Nam, the epidemics can spread rapidly due to the increasing demand of the Tet holiday. Recently, FMD has re-occurred in Cao Bang, Thai Nguyen and Ca Mau, resulting in the culling of hundreds of cows and pigs.

 

Nam said local authorities should check and ensure vaccination levels were at least 80%, and that breeding facilities should be sterilised regularly.

 

Nam also said that the control of imported livestock from border area must be tightened.