Zoning and surrounding foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in Quang Binh province. Picture: Tam Phung.
According to the Quang Binh Department of Livestock and Veterinary Medicine, in 2017-2019 there were 31 communities with foot-and-mouth disease with nearly 4,100 infected cattle, of which nearly 2,000 died or were forced to kill, causing great harm to the people.
According to Mr. Duong Viet Phuong Tuan, deputy director of Quang Binh Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sub-department, there are many causes behind the widespread spread of foot-and-mouth disease. In particular, the movement of buffalo and cows across the border is not strictly controlled in some parts of the province. In addition, animal quarantine activities in the province are no longer available, so the risk of disease infection from other provinces is very high.
In order to control and prevent the recurrence of foot-and-mouth disease, the Animal Husbandry – Veterinary Medicine Division has advised its managers to develop a communication strategy to raise public awareness of the danger and measures to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease sharpen. and mouth disease, disease prevention and control, while organizing knowledge training for grassroots veterinary staff and breeders.
In parallel with the propaganda mission, the functional forces in Quang Binh organized to prevent the infection of foot-and-mouth disease virus from abroad and other provinces and cities into the area. Coordinate with Region III Animal Health Subdivision to inspect and monitor imported cattle at Hon La port, Cha Lo border gate and imported pigs in quarantine areas in the region.
“Through the above synchronous activities, we have controlled, prevented and promptly detected and strictly handled cases of smuggling, transportation and illegal trade of cattle and cattle products across the border,” Mr. Tuan said.
The Quang Binh Veterinary Force strictly controls the means of transporting livestock through the area. Picture: Tam Phung.
In order to regularly and continuously uphold the task of disease prevention in farm animals, Quang Binh Sub-Department of Livestock – Veterinary Medicine established interdisciplinary mobile control teams. The team’s mission is to inspect the transportation of livestock and livestock products on National Highways 1A, Ho Chi Minh Trail, Route 12A, and interdistrict and inter-municipal roads to detect violations and deal with them strictly.
The municipality also pays special attention to the task of vaccination against diseases. Vaccinated individuals are buffalo, cows, sows, wild boar. In addition, based on the epidemiological characteristics of foot-and-mouth disease, vaccination of other cattle should be considered and decided.
According to Mr. Duong Viet Phuong Tuan, vaccination takes place twice a year. Phase 1 from March to May and Phase 2 from August to October In addition to the two main injections, the Quang Binh Department of Livestock and Veterinary Medicine also organizes additional vaccinations for cattle that occur after the main injections, at least 80% of the total herd that needs to be vaccinated.
In the event of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, the veterinary service organizes emergency vaccination for healthy cattle in villages, hamlets and villages where the disease occurs. At the same time, organize vaccination to surround the outbreak from the outside in for susceptible cattle in non-epidemic villages in the same community and adjacent communities around the epidemic area.
With synchronous and continuous solutions, farm animal foot-and-mouth disease has been gradually controlled in Quang Binh in recent years.
Veterinarians used disinfectant sprays where foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks occurred in Quang Binh province. Picture: Tam Phung.
In 2020, foot-and-mouth disease occurred in 7 communes in 3 districts (Bo Trach, Le Thuy, Quang Ninh), causing 197 cattle and buffalo to become ill, no cattle died from the disease. In 2021, in 6 villages in 4 townships and cities of Bo Trach district, 115 buffalo and cows fell ill, no cattle died from the disease.
From early 2022 to now, epidemics have occurred in 2 villages of Hung Trach Township and Phong Nha City (Bo Trach District), sickening 62 buffalo and cows, none of which died from the disease.
“As soon as the disease information was received, the Quang Binh Livestock and Veterinary Medicine Subdivision urgently reinforced personnel to follow the facility, veterinary personnel coordinated with local authorities and livestock households to spray pepper. Toxic, disinfecting and localizing the epidemic In order to prevent its spread, the sub-department urgently organizes investigations into the outbreak, takes samples from infected and suspect cattle for tests to identify the disease and the foot-and-mouth virus strain in order to select more suitable Vaccines,” Mr. Tuan shared.
According to Mr. Tuan, the development of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle decreased by 2.6 times the number of outbreaks and 12.6 times the number of infected cattle in 2020-2022 compared to before. At present, Quang Binh is stepping up the management of illegal slaughter activities to avoid the risk of disease spread and regularly developing a program to monitor veterinary hygiene conditions in slaughterhouses.