SENTINEL PIGLETS. Biosecurity measures against the African swine fever are strictly implemented in this pig farm in Barangay Baay, Batac City in Ilocos Norte. Provincial veterinarian Loida Valenzuela said Tuesday (July 12, 2022) that most farms are now ready to host sentinel piglets. (Contributed)
LAOAG CITY – The Provincial Veterinary Office, in cooperation with various city and municipal agriculture offices in Ilocos Norte, is now conducting a series of meetings with hog raisers previously affected by the African swine fever (ASF) to ensure they are ready to resume business again.
As a prelude to the swine repopulation program to increase hog production in the province, the Municipal Agriculture Office in Solsona met with over 40 previously ASF-affected hog raisers on Tuesday for the distribution of sentinel piglets in the municipality.
According to Ranison Narciso, head of the Solsona Municipal Agriculture Office, "each of the eligible raisers under the National Livestock Program of the Department of Agriculture will be given at least three sentinel piglets to take care of.” Feeds will also be provided to the raisers.
Narciso said the sentinel piglets distribution in the municipality is meant to test whether the municipality is already safe for the repopulation of hogs.
"Sentinelling is a science-based approach to indicate the presence and continuous infestation of a virus or disease in an area. This approach will be done for 40 days in the municipality,” he said.
While all other municipalities in Ilocos Norte are now under the “pink zone” category, provincial veterinarian Loida Valenzuela said that the remaining drawback is the availability of piglets to be distributed to the hog raisers.
“Many accredited farms in the province are already lined up but we are just waiting for the availability of piglets from the supplier,” she said in an interview Tuesday.
The sentinel piglets distribution aims to increase livestock production and improve the productivity of farmers.
To avail of sentinel piglets, the applicant should undergo training on biosecurity, and the farm facility should conform to the minimum biosecurity standards for both smallholder and commercial farms.
The sentinel piglets must be sourced from ASF-free farms and must comply with their respective province’s policies for incoming stocks from outside the province. (PNA)
