RECOVERY PROGRAM. Department of Agriculture Secretary William Dar speaks during the rollout of Swine Repopulation, Rehabilitation, and Recovery Credit Program in Lingayen town Pangasinan on July 22, 2021. Dar also gave updates on the African swine fever vaccine being developed. (Photo courtesy of William Dar's Facebook page)
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Bureau of Animal Industry, is now testing two prototype vaccines for the African swine fever (ASF) in 10 private companies and is expected to be rolled out publicly by the end of August this year.
Pangasinan provincial assistant, veterinarian Dr. Jovito Tabajeros, in an interview on Friday, said they are looking forward to the ASF vaccines being developed.
“Some hog-raisers are excited about it while some have doubts that it might further spread the virus. Nonetheless, it is still being studied well,” he said.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar, in an interview during the rollout of Swine Repopulation, Rehabilitation, and Recovery Credit Program here on July 22, said the vaccines are still under experimentation but the result of this experiment is expected to be out by the end of August this year.
“It is not yet rolled out meaning it is still under experimentation. We are now in the stage of collecting blood samples to see if the antibodies of the vaccinated animals are increasing,” he said.
He added if the results yielded positive, the vaccines will be given publicly by the end of August this year.
After which, he added, the next will be the second stage, wherein the hogs that have ASF will be vaccinated to see if they could recover or not.
Pangasinan was among the hardest-hit areas by ASF.
The DA, however, has provided indemnification to affected hog-raisers and funding for the recovery and rehabilitation of ASF-affected areas. (PNA)
