February 11, 2008

China on alert for livestock epidemics after snow

China's government has urged localities to be on the alert for possible livestock epidemics as the snow may have caused animals to be more susceptible to bird flu and blue-ear pig diseases.

A state council circular warned that livestock are vulnerable to epidemic diseases after severe weather like torrential rains, blizzard and deep freeze.

The council has also ordered all breeding farms in snow-hit central, southern and eastern China to sterilize livestock pens.

Chinese farmers were urged to carefully examine their breeding facilities, clean up snow and reinforce damaged pens to secure proper indoor temperatures for livestock.

No epidemics have been reported yet, but relevant departments have been ordered to keep a close eye on hidden dangers that might jeopardize the safety of poultry and livestock products.

A total of 19 provinces and autonomous regions have been seriously hit by snow, the worst in five decades, according to reports.

Most of the worst-hit regions were Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou provinces and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

On Thursday, the command center has urged the Ministry of Agriculture and local agricultural departments to make post-disaster production as their "most pressing task.''