September 27, 2010

Vietnam destroys 241,135 blue-ear diseased pigs

Vietnam cities and provinces have destroyed 241,135 out of nearly a total of 460,000 pigs infected with blue-ear disease, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Department of Animal Health said September 23.

Up to 167,000 of the total destroyed pigs are from the Southeastern region, the largest cattle breeding area in Vietnam with a four-million herd. The department said that the disease has spread to 32 localities in Vietnam, with the south central provinces of Ninh Thuan and Phu Yen being the newly-hit areas.

The disease has broken out in 11 communes of three districts of Ninh Phuoc, Thuan Nam, Ninh Son and Phan Rang-Thap Chap city in Ninh Thuan province, killing 72 pigs out of total affected 324 pigs. In Phu Yen province, the disease killed 63 out of 125 affected pigs in An My commune, Tuy An district, the department said.

Other stricken areas included Nghe An, Cao Bang, Soc Trang, Tien Giang, Long An, Binh Duong, Bac Lieu, Quang Nam, Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc, Danang, Vinh Long, Khanh Hoa, Dak Lak, Hau Giang, Lam Dong, Tay Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, An Giang, Dong Thap, Can Tho, Ben Tre, Kien Giang, Ca Mau, Kon Tum, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, Tra Vinh, Binh Thuan, and Quang Ninh.

The Vietnam Animal Feed Association said that the formidable outbreak of blue-ear disease has caused bad impacts on not only local breeders but also animal feed producers. Domestic prices of feed for pigs have dropped between 20% and 30% compared to those before the outbreak, despite a slight rise of 5% in the world market.