2,252 HOGS CULLED

THE African Swine Fever (ASF) continues to rage like wild fire in Central Pangasinan as more than 900 hogs were again culled last week, bringing the total number of hogs culled from January 14 to February 13 to 2,252.

Records of the Provincial Veterinary Office showed ASF is still confined in central Pangasinan but the disease is beginning to spread to eastern Pangasinan, particularly, in Urdaneta City and Bautista.

A television report showed seven hogs owned by a raiser in Barangay Toboy in Asingan that died at the same time, their carcass being buried in raiser’s backyard. He said he suffered more than P200,000 in losses.

However, the deaths of the seven hogs was not recorded by PVO because no blood samples were taken from the hogs when they were still alive.

The PVO said the culling of hogs actually started January 14 with 21 hogs initially culled in Barangay Linoc, Binmaley, where 34 hogs initially died. The latest culling was on February 7 in Barangay Banaoang, Calasiao that resulted in the culling of another 33 hogs.

Culled on January 24 were 211 hogs in Cabeldatan, Basista; one in Urdaneta City, 310 in Mabulitec, Malasiqui, 107 again in Linoc, Binmaley, another 100 hogs in Namolan, Lingayen, aside from the 99 hogs previously culled and 58 others in Caloocan Sur, Binmaley.

The lockdown of 15 barangays affected the production of slaughtered hogs in abattoirs of Central Pangasinan, ultimately reducing the volume of pork being delivered and sold in different meat markets.

So far, no culling of infected hogs was made from February 8 to 12.

Meanwhile, hogs in Barangays Libsong East and West are now suspected to be afflicted by ASF owing to reports that hog raisers in Barangay Linoc, Binmaley were transporting their swine out to skip culling procedures.

A report from the PVO said the pork shortage is beginning to be felt when only one vendor was selling pork in Lingayen owing to the lockdown in Barangay Namolan and hogs within the seven-kilometer radius of Namolan were ordered not to be moved.

A report last Thursday said there were only few pork for sale in the markets of Dagupan as the city sources 60 percent of its pork meat from the Double A slaughter in Malasiqui, which is only four kilometers away from the ASF-affected area of Apaya.

The livestock market in Calasiao, the source of pigs being slaughtered in the town and in adjacent Sta. Barbara and Malasiqui, remained close as the ASF has not yet been contained.

Meanwhile, government veterinarians obtained blood samples of hogs in Barangays Payar, Binalay, Viado, Poblacion, Bacundao and Warey in Malasiqui; Libsong East and West of Lingayen; Talibaew, Dinalaoan, Lumbang, Longos, Lasip, Nagsaing and, Quesban in Calasiao; Naguilayan and San Isidro Norte in  Binmaley; Balingaoe in Sta. Barbara; Primicias in Bautista; and Calobaoan in San Carlos City  (Leonardo Micua)

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