By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) said yesterday morning they have recorded new hog mortalities amid the ongoing hog pre-sentinelling program in the province.
PVO head Dr. Placeda Lemana said they have recorded swine mortalities in the towns of Hinoba-an and La Castellana last month.
However, they were unable to determine if the hog deaths were caused by hog cholera or African swine fever (ASF).
Lemana said pre-sentinelling procedures include thorough disinfection and cleaning of hog pens hit by swine diseases in recent months.
She added that some PVO personnel conducted inspections across the province to identify qualified hog raisers for the sentinelling program.
The sentinelling program is a science-based approach to detect the presence of ASF in a particular area.
The program can be implemented in affected areas or barangays with zero swine deaths for more or less 40 days, the PVO said.
The PVO added that they will implement the program in the province’s fourth district, the first to report hog deaths and record the highest number of swine mortalities in recent months.
Meanwhile, Lemana said some backyard hog raisers cannot be restrained and have resumed raising hogs.
Despite no reported hog deaths in some localities, Lemana discouraged preempting hog repopulation because of specific guidelines released by the PVO.
Lemana said, prior to the hog sentinelling program, local hog raisers had been busy cleaning and disinfecting their farms.
In August, Lemana also asked local hog raisers to temporarily halt supplying pork to traders outside the province to prepare for the expected high demand, and to prevent any sudden price increases.
The PVO said they are already eyeing a high demand for pork in the coming months, particularly during the holiday festivities in December.
Earlier this month, a group of local hog farmers raised concerns that the hog supply may not be enough this holiday season.
More than 200,000 hogs are currently being raised in the province./DGB, WDJ