AID TO ANIMAL RAISERS. Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson (center) leads the distribution of hog cholera vaccine doses and dispersal of animals as an alternative livelihood for animal raisers in the southern part of the province in rites in Ilog town on Thursday (Aug. 17, 2023). Some 70,400 doses of hog cholera jabs have been procured by the province, of which 25,000 doses have initially been delivered. (Photo courtesy of PIO Negros Occidental)
BACOLOD CITY – The Negros Occidental provincial government has started distributing hog cholera vaccine doses to animal raisers on Thursday as the local swine industry looks to recover from losses due to hog deaths in the past months.
Dr. Placeda Lemana, acting provincial veterinarian, said the Provincial Veterinary Office has procured 70,400 doses of hog cholera jabs, of which 25,000 doses have initially been delivered.
“This is being distributed provincewide. The first is for the local government units (LGUs) in the sixth district,” she added.
The hog cholera vaccine supply for the sixth district was for animal raisers in the cities of Kabankalan and Sipalay as well as the municipalities of Cauayan, Candoni, Ilog and Hinoba-an.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson led the turn-over rites in Ilog town, where other beneficiaries also received carabao, cattle and goat, and feeds supply under the Typhoon Odette Livestock and Poultry Rehabilitation Program.
The Ilog Hog Raisers Association was given free-range chicks for alternative livelihood.
Lemana said the animal owners or their caretakers have been tasked to administer the hog cholera vaccine to prevent contamination that may happen when technicians or paravets would be allowed to enter the backyard farms.
“We will hold a seminar, where animal raisers will be taught how to handle the vaccines properly,” she added.
Since the first week of August, there were days when Negros Occidental recorded zero daily hog deaths compared to the previous months where daily deaths reached up to three figures due to African swine fever, hog cholera and other animal diseases.
Lemana said this shows that the response of the provincial government has been working, including strict biosecurity measures and procurement of laboratory testing equipment for faster detection of infection.
Almost 18,000 hog deaths have been reported in 20 of the 31 LGUs in Negros Occidental by mid-August, data from the Provincial Animal Biosecurity Incident Management Team showed. (PNA)
