July 31, 2007

China's Shandong vaccinates pigs against blue ear disease

Authorities in China's Shandong province have made it compulsory for backyard farmers to vaccinate their hogs against blue ear disease, which is also known as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. Vaccination cost for the 11.7 million heads of hogs will be borne by the province's local government.

Experts at Shandong's Livestock Bureau said that hogs in small-scale farms are particularly susceptible, given the poor hygiene conditions. Once infected, piglets mostly succumb to the disease while risk of stillbirth is also higher among sows that had been infected by the virus.