Hog inoculation vs ASF rolls off

It’s “all systems go” for the hog inoculation against African swine fever (ASF) in Lobo, Batangas, which will commence on Friday, said an official from the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“The pigs that we tested prior to vaccination are negative and healthy... Our vaccination will push through tomorrow at 9 a.m. in Lobo,” DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa told reporters in a briefing on Thursday. He said one vial of vaccine is good for 50 swine heads.

“The location and vaccination must be strategic because it’s not like Covid-19, where you can vaccinate all people in one center. The pigs should be [vaccinated] on their farms,” De Mesa added, noting that the agency will prioritize vaccinating swines of small-holding and backyard hog raisers.

A total of 10,000 ASF vaccines are allocated for Batangas province and nearby areas, which were acquired from Vietnam through an emergency procurement earlier this month following its outbreak.

De Mesa said that an additional 150,000 doses of the ASF vaccines are expected to arrive in the country next week.

After the controlled vaccination of hogs in Batangas, which will be supervised by the Bureau of the Animal Industry (BAI) and respective Municipal Veterinary Offices, inoculation of hogs will also be done in “red zones” (infected zones), including Quezon, Rizal, Laguna, Mindoro and North Cotabato.

BAI data shows that as of 21 August, ASF has already reached 15 regions, 32 provinces, 115 municipalities and 458 barangays.

DA allocated P350 million for the procurement of Vietnam-manufactured 600,000 doses of ASF vaccines expected to arrive in the third quarter of the year.