Cattle, poultry diseases rampant in Northern Vietnam

Cattle and poultry diseases continue to spread in northern Vietnam with more outbreaks being found in the past week, according to the Department of Veterinary under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The department said it found a bird flu outbreak on April 13 in the Vietnam northern province of Quang Ninh which killed 450 poultry out of a 900 head-flock in Viet Hung district, Ha Long city. The pandemic remains in Bac Kan province.

Meanwhile, from April 14-18, blue-ear disease spread to nine communes of Tu Ky, Binh Giang, Gia Loc and Cam Giang in Hai Duong province, affecting 3,221 pigs. In Thai Binh, the total number of affected pigs hit 5,958 head.

Foot-and-mouth disease remains in three provinces of Dien Bien, Son La and Ha Giang.

In the domestic market, poultry meat prices rose by VND2,000-VND4,000/kg (US$0.11-US$0.21/kg) to VND46,000/kg (US$2.43/kg) of chicken and VND47,000/kg (US$2.48/kg) of duck, according to reports on Tuesday (Apr 20).

Prices of imported chicken also increased by VND1,000-VND4,000/kg (US$0.05-US$0.21/kg) to VND41,000/kg (US$2.16/kg) of chicken leg and VND57,000/kg (US$3/kg) of chicken wing.