• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday discouraged hog raisers from starting the hog sentineling program without coordination with the Provincial Veterinary Office.
Lacson said he received reports that some hog raisers already started raising sentinel hogs, and claimed success.
“Let’s all do the same process,” the governor encouraged hog raisers.
Lacson issued a memorandum to all local government units, pertaining to the guidelines and protocol to be followed in line with the start of hog sentineling program in Negros Occidental.
This comes after the province continued to log zero hog deaths over the past several weeks.
Lacson said they are eyeing to start to hog repopulation in Negros Occidental by next year.
As the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) and other hog diseases in Negros Occidental was declared contained, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) is further strengthening its bio security measures, including heightened security in ports and entry points of the province to prevent the entry of pork products from ASF-affected areas.
Negros Occidental bans the entry of hogs and related products from Panay, Guimaras, and Cebu, as well as in some areas of Mindanao and Luzon.
Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Placeda Lemana enjoined backyard hog raisers to clean and disinfect areas where the vaccinated sentinel hogs would be placed.
If all systems are go, Lemana said the hog raiser may put the vaccinated sentinel animal under observation for a period of 40 days.
If the sentinel animal survives, hog raisers may start swine repopulation, she added.
PVO is expected to start the pre-sentineling program for hogs next month.*
