Cebu Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy questions the administrative order released by the Department of Agriculture which imposes different treatments between commercial and backyard hog farms in ASF-affected provinces.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy, Cebu provincial veterinarian, questioned the move of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to modify the protocol in zones affected with African Swine Fever (ASF).
In an interview on Wednesday, October 16, Vincoy said she received a copy of an administrative order from DA Secretary William Dar, which imposes different treatments between commercial and backyard hog farms in ASF-affected provinces.
Administrative Order No. 10, which Dar signed on September 25, allows hogs of commercial farms within one kilometer from ASF-affected farms to move out of the zone as long as they test negative of ASF in their initial screening.
However, hogs from backyard farms within the one-kilometer radius must be subjected to preemptive culling.
Vincoy said distinguishing which hogs to cull within the one-kilometer zone may be dangerous since the ASF virus has a zero conversion characteristic.
This means that the carrier of the virus may not test positive or manifest symptoms if the ASF virus infection is still at an early stage.
Currently, Cebu is imposing a total ban against the entry of all live hogs and pork related products from Luzon due to the ASF outbreak in the area.
An ordinance has also been passed in order to strengthen Governor Gwendolyn Garcia’s executive order in issuing the ban and imposing penalties for the violators. / celr