April 8, 2008

Hog disease strikes major Philippine swine province

Barely recovering from swine flu and hog cholera incidents last year, major swine producing province Bulacan in northern Philippines is now stricken with porcine epidemic diarrhea or PED.

Dr. Felipe Bartolome, head of the Bulacan Provincial Veterinary Office said PED have affected commercial hog farms in the towns of Marilao, Sta. Maria, Pandi and the City of San Jose Del Monte.

But the impact is only minimal and that only 30 percent of farm swine population has been affected aside from the fact the incidents were intermittent.

Bartolome assured that PED is a common swine disease along with hog cholera, swine flu and porcine reproductive respiratory syndrome.

Bartolome said that PED, as an endemic disease has been recurring through the year, but hinted it could be weather-induced like hog cholera and swine flu due to the recent sudden change of weather.