May 26, 2011

Vietnam warns of animal diseases spreading

Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has alarmed provinces and cities nationwide about an outbreak of animal diseases among livestock herds during the rainy season.

The diseases will spread fast in poultry, cattle and pigs, said the ministry, urging local authorities to be vigilant in preventing the diseases and to apply proper measures to halt any spreading diseases.

According to the report of the Animal Health Department, bird flu has been found in the southern province of Vinh Long and the northern mountainous province of Lang Son. The foot-and-mouth disease has appeared in the Central Highland province of Dak Lak and northern province of Quang Ninh.

The blue-ear disease has attacked pig farms in six provinces, namely Nghe An, Quang Tri, Ha Tinh, Thai Binh, Bac Ninh and Hai Duong. As many as 16,000 pigs were infected in Nghe An and Quang Tri, and local farmers had to bury 3,000 pigs.

Inefficiency of the imported vaccines is one of the causes leading to uncontrolled animal diseases, said the ministry.