HEALTHY LIVESTOCK, POULTRY. Personnel of the Department of Agriculture's regulatory division conduct monitoring on the poultry and livestock sector to ensure the animals are free from diseases and safe for human consumption. The monitoring includes the collection of blood samples as shown in this file photo. (Photo courtesy of Department of Agriculture-9)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Department of Agriculture in Region 9 (DA-9) said it has continuously been monitoring the poultry and livestock industries to ensure these are disease-free and safe for human consumption.
In a statement Saturday, DA-9 executive director Rad Donn Cedeño said monitoring of the health status of poultry and livestock is done through the collection of blood samples by the agency’s regulatory division across the region.
Cedeño said the collection of blood samples is also to monitor the possible occurrence of animal diseases such as Avian Influenza (AI), Classical Swine Fever (CSF), Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia CBP), and Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
He said the regular collection of blood samples is crucial toward implementing treatment and appropriate measures to prevent any outbreak of diseases that may affect the livestock and poultry sector of the region.
Dr. Marie France Jalao, chief of the DA-9 Regulatory Division, said the collection of blood samples is done twice a year--every March and April for the first semester and September and October for the second semester.
Jalao said they were able to collect 667 blood samples across the region in the first semester this year.
She said collected blood samples collected are now at the Department of Agriculture-Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (DA-RADDL) in Barangay Tumaga here for testing.
Dr. Josephine Datoy, RADDL chief, said the process entails a series of tests to accurately determine if the blood samples extracted from the different animals contain any of the disease agents monitored by the agency in the livestock and poultry sectors.
“We at the RADDL perform prompt and accurate diagnostic tests to determine any threats of disease epidemics. In the case of imminent threats, we provide related support services for effective surveillance, monitoring, and control of livestock and poultry diseases,” Datoy said.
A collection team is currently in the process of collecting livestock and poultry blood samples region-wide for the second semester, she said, adding that a team is expected to accomplish the collection by next month. (PNA)
