The Negros Occidental provincial government and capital, Bacolod City, are stepping up efforts to protect hogs against illnesses brought about by the hot weather that have already caused deaths among the local swine population.

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez directed the City Veterinary Office (CVO) yesterday to inspect backyard hog-raising operations in various barangays to ensure that the animals are free of hog cholera.

“Visit backyard piggeries just to make sure. Let us guarantee the safety of the public,” he said.

Dr. Maria Agueda de la Torre, city veterinarian, said the CVO has been monitoring hog deaths, but they have yet to conduct confirmatory tests to determine the cause.

“We have already visited most of the barangays, and based on our monitoring, most of them have negative reports of deaths,” she added.

De la Torre said vaccines are available to prevent hog cholera, but the CVO is not certain if backyard raisers are practicing vaccination, which is already being done by commercial hog farms.

She advised hog raisers to immediately report swine disease to the CVO so they can conduct blood sampling and submit these for laboratory testing.

In Negros Occidental, cases of hog cholera or classical swine fever have already been reported in several municipalities, but the province is still considered free of the dreaded African swine fever (ASF).

“As of now, we are still looking at hog cholera because we are not in any position to declare that it is ASF. For now, what we can truly say is, it is hog cholera,” Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday.

The governor had earlier advised local government units (LGUs) to boost animal biosecurity measures across the province amid the serious threat of transboundary diseases which could be worsened by the hot weather.

He noted the continued threat posed by diseases such as hog cholera, ASF, and highly pathogenic avian influenza or bird flu.

The governor also asked the LGUs to mobilize their respective local veterinary and agricultural offices and other related agencies to conduct 24/7 veterinary quarantine inspection at boundary checkpoints in coordination with the Provincial Veterinary Office, as well as ensure effective disease monitoring and surveillance. (PNA)