August 8, 2023

Negros Occidental, Philippines, focuses on other livestock as diseases hammer hog numbers

The provincial government of  Negros Occidental, the Philippines, is strengthening efforts for the production of other animals as producers continue to cope with hog deaths reported in at least 20 of the 31 local government units (LGUs) in the past few months, the Philippine News Agency reported last month.

Although daily swine mortalities have slowed down to double digits from the initial more than 400 heads, the hog industry has lost more than 17,000 heads to African swine fever (ASF), hog cholera and other diseases, data released by the Provincial Animal Biosecurity Incident Management Team showed.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government would stop its swine dispersal programme for now.

"In the meantime, the province will not distribute piglets. Let us slow down on that and focus on other animals," he told the animal producers from the Poultry and Livestock Association in Negros Occidental. "Hogs are the most popular but there are also other animals that we would like to propagate."

Lacson reiterated the province's vision to produce the Negros Beef, which started with the acquisition last December of nine Angus breeders that have already started to reproduce.

"Gradually, let's focus on cattle and of course, carabao, goat. Let us push not only hogs but many other animals," he added.

As part of the assistance, animal feed and mineral blocks were given to poultry ‘multiplier' farms under the Typhoon Odette Rehabilitation Program of the Department of Agriculture 6 (Western Visayas) while veterinary drugs and biologics to support animal health programme and disease prevention were distributed by the Provincial Veterinary Office.

- PNA