February 11, 2009
China's Shanxi Province reacts to curb pig disease
North China's Shanxi Province has implemented measures to prevent the spread of blue-ear disease, which has killed more than 1,000 pigs, local authorities said Tuesday (Feb 10).
In Hongdong County where the epidemic broke out, vaccine for 165,000 pigs, together with 430 exposure suits, 4.1 tonnes of disinfectant and 610 syringes for injections arrived on Monday (Feb 9).
Local officials have quarantined 10 villages where infected pigs were found. Culling operations are ongoing, with 936 pigs killed as of Tuesday morning.
Farmers will receive RMB150 to RMB1,500 per pig as compensation by the county, with the total compensation amount at RMB1 million (US$146,330).
No contaminated pork has been discovered amid close monitoring of the markets and supermarkets.
More than 1,000 pigs were found dead in Wan'an Township, Hongdong, with 80 percent of them less than one month old.
Blue-ear disease causes reproductive failure in breeding stock and respiratory tract illness in young pigs and can lead to pig industry incurring severe losses.
US$1 = RMB6.83386 (Feb 11)
