DA eyes modifying culling protocol over ASF spread

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is looking at modifying its culling protocol amid the continuous spread of African swine fever (ASF) in the country.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the DA, in partnership with swine industry players and veterinary groups, is considering modifying the prevailing 1-7-10 protocol in hog culling.

Under the 1-7-10 protocol, bringing hogs in and out a one-kilometer radius of the site of infection or ground zero is prohibited.

“We are looking at decreasing the coverage of the infected zone to only a 500-meter radius, and only infected pigs will be culled. The healthy ones will be separated, quarantined and observed,” Dar said.

Within the seven-kilometer radius of an infection site, hogs are placed under surveillance and restricted movement. Blood testing is also conducted on the animals.

Within the 10-kilometer radius, the DA implements mandatory monitoring and reporting of swine diseases occurring in the area.

To date, at least 233,000 hogs have been culled, equivalent to 1.8 percent of the country’s swine population of 12.7 million.

Of the figure, 15 percent were infected with ASF. The rest were healthy, but had to be culled as they were within the one-kilometer infected zone.

“The number of our total culled pigs is minimal compared to our neighbor ASF-affected countries,” Dar said.

He said private commercial farms have given assurance that there is enough supply of pork and pork products for this year.

Dar recently ordered strict implementation of veterinary quarantine measures following reports that ASF has spread to Mindanao.

Meanwhile, hog raisers in southern Mindanao are having difficulty promoting pork and pork products following reports that ASF has affected some villages in Davao region.

“Our main objective now is to promote pork as safe for consumption,” Eduardo So, president of the Hog Farmers Association of Davao, said.

The group is urging the government to impose a selective ban on pork and pork products coming from ASF-affected areas.

Seized

Authorities confiscated some 10 kilos of pork and poultry products from two vehicles in Tagudin,  Ilocos Sur on Wednesday. 

Among those seized at a quarantine checkpoint in Barangay Bio were pork chicharon and boxes of chicken and quail eggs, which were loaded in a van driven by Benedict de Ocera of Bangued, Abra.

Seven boxes of pork siomai were also seized from a tricycle driven by Cesario Agas of Bangar, La Union.

De Ocera and Agas failed to show permits allowing them to transport the products. – With Edith Regalado, Raymund Catindig