VIGILANCE. A border control checkpoint helps keep Antique free from African swine fever. While efforts are geared towards keeping the province free from the disease, the Antique Provincial Veterinary on Tuesday (May 16, 2023) also called on hog raisers to ensure that their animals are stress free amid extreme heat conditions. (Courtesy of Antique-PIO)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The Antique Provincial Veterinary (ProVet ) advised hog raisers in the province to keep their animals free from stress caused by extreme heat.
Dr. Marco Rafael Ardamil, ProVet chief, said in an interview Tuesday that pig pens should have open ventilation and be managed well.
“Pneumonia is a common disease of the hogs when they are stressed and have a low immune system,” he said.
He said it was the case of the two hog mortalities in the Municipality of Tobias Fornier, initially reported to the Municipal Agriculture Office on April 24 as suspected cases of African swine fever (ASF).
“The mayor of Tobias Fornier was quick to come up with an Executive Order to prevent movement of the hogs in their municipality within 14 days so as to prevent the spread of the disease,” Ardamil said.
ProVet eventually found out that pneumonia caused the deaths, not ASF.
“Antique is still ASF-free until now, but we really advise hog raisers given the weather condition now to do necessary interventions to prevent their hogs from getting sick of other diseases,” Ardamil said.
He said the Bantay African Swine Fever sa Barangay (Babay ASF) program in the province has been in place to ensure that Antique remains free from the disease.
The Babay ASF Program under Department of Agriculture Administrative Order Number 7 in 2021 provides guidelines for intensifying the disease response of the government against ASF, with national government agencies and other sectors providing technical and support services for local government units to carry out interventions at the farm and community levels. (PNA)
