ASF vaccination expands to bigger piggeries

Massive disinformation is preventing small backyard raisers from volunteering their hogs to vaccination, slowing down the government’s efforts to stem the spread of the African swine fever (ASF).

With small farms continuing to express fear the vaccine may not be effective as earlier reported, the Department of Agriculture (DA) would now be expanding the program to big, commercial farms to cover as many pigs as possible.

“The low participation rate of ‘smallhold’ farms presents a significant challenge, making it necessary to expedite the vaccination program for commercial farms and swine herds covered by the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (Inspire) Program,” Administrative Order No. 8 read.

The Inspire program was launched at the height of the ASF outbreak in the country to boost local hog output, and stabilize pork supply through calibrated repopulation and production expansion.

The DA provided additional guidelines as Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. ordered the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) last week to refine its vaccination protocols.

“We’re hopeful that impending changes to the vaccination protocol will finally fast-track the vaccine rollout and finally address our problem with this stubborn virus,” the DA chief said.

Tiu Laurel noted many raisers were hesitant to join the ASF vaccine rollout amid concerns their pigs would be culled if tests showed the animals were infected.

Year-end target

Tiu Laurel and several officials of the DA, the BAI, the Food and Drug Administration and vaccine distributor KPP Powers Commodities are also facing graft charges over the alleged illegal importation of untested vaccines.

The DA was targeting to procure and distribute 600,000 vaccines from the Vietnamese supplier by the end of this year.

It started the vaccine rollout in Lobo, Batangas, ground zero of the ASF outbreak, which has shown that the hogs developed sufficient antibodies to combat the virus.

The latest BAI tally showed 10 regions and 25 provinces have active ASF cases as of Oct. 18.

Under the additional guidelines, interested commercial farms should submit a letter of intent to the concerned DA regional field office and submit requirements to both local governments and the DA regional office.

Personnel from the BAI and the provincial veterinary office will inspect the farm to assess its biosecurity measures and readiness to participate in the vaccination drive. INQ