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[av_heading heading=’Vital role of local livestock industry’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY JULIO P. YAP JR.
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Wednesday, February 22, 2017
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THE livestock industry is vital in supporting the livelihoods of small livestock keepers, traders, and workers throughout the country.
Due to the effects of globalization and climate change, the world is now confronted with the unprecedented increase of emerging and re-emerging animal diseases, including zoonoses – diseases that are communicable from animals to humans.
The different diseases, which could affect livestock, can have a devastating impact on animal productivity and production, the trade on live animals, meat and other animal products, on human health, and consequently, on the whole manner of economic development.
While there have been many developments in the field of disease control and management, the local swine production sector remains to be threatened by various diseases.
To minimize the impacts of viral, bacterial, and parasitic diseases, it is highly recommended that proper management and care of livestock should be in place to maintain animal health in order to safeguard public health and at the same time ensure food safety.
The farm animals have their needs, such as healthcare and proper diets, and swine raisers should havean assurance of maximizing their investments because it will protect their piglets from various infections.
To maintain animal health, there is the need to further educate the animal raisers – especially the backyard swine raisers who supply the bulk of market pigs – about proper biosecurity measures to help ensure food security, and at the same time, food safety in the Philippines.
At present, modern pig farm operations around the world have contributed significantly to ensure food sufficiency for billions of people and more opportunities to increase farmers’ incomes, but along with these come new challenges too.
To avoid infectious diseases and to boost the resistance and immunity of pigs, especially now that the country is experiencing unpredictable weather conditions, a proper management system must be in place to prevent the entry of viruses and viral infections, including proper medication in cases where the pig pen has already been contaminated.
Here are some of the basic steps to help maintain the health and well-being of pigs.
• Always keep the buildings or facilities, run-ways, pens, and equipment clean. Sanitize and disinfect them regularly.
• Quarantine or isolate animals that were recently brought from other sources.
• When buying breeder stocks for replacement, make sure that the animals have been immunized against prevalent diseases in the area, such as hog cholera, and swine plague.
• Always seek the advice and/or services of the nearest veterinarian and/or government technician, or from the nearest office of the Bureau of Animal Industry.
It is likewise important to know or to be familiar with the common diseases and parasites that may affect your pigs.
Pigs could be contaminated through direct contact or by eating uncooked slops or kitchen scraps containing the virus.
Above all, it is always the best to seek the advice or services of a veterinarian or government technician in your area, or you may get in touch with the nearest office of the Bureau of Animal Industry in your region./PN
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