October 14, 2010

Blue-ear disease kills Vietnam's 402,000 pigs

The blue-ear disease has killed 402,000 pigs out of a total 767,000 heads affected in Vietnam so far this year, stated the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The ministry's Department of Animal Health said that the first epidemic, which attacked 16 cities and provinces, killed nearly 66,000 pigs out of 146,000 pigs that were stricken.

The number of dead and destroyed pigs increased to 337,000 in the second epidemic, which is spreading in 32 cities and provinces.

Head of the department Hoang Van Nam said that the affected localities will step up inoculation of JAX1-R vaccine on large scale after pilot vaccination of 200,000 doses in 21 cities and provinces showed that it is effective against the blue-ear disease.