BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose Lacson ordered the implementation of biosecurity measures to address the fly infestation in several poultry farms in the province on Tuesday night.
“There have been reports of an unprecedented fly infestation which has created a public health nuisance for the communities therein and affected the ecotourism in the area,” Lacson said in Executive Order 21-41, series of 2021, dated Aug. 10, 2021.
The governor stressed that there is a need to implement biosecurity measures to keep fly populations below economic injury levels or public health nuisance thresholds to protect the ecotourism industry and safeguard the health and safety of all Negrenses.
According to the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), flies are known to be vectors for many diseases of both humans and livestock and are a sign of unsanitary conditions, adding that chickens may eat flies at any life stage and can become infected by ingesting the insects or by direct contact.
The fly population may also create a reservoir for disease on poultry farms, making disease treatment and elimination difficult, it added.
The PVO will also implement an integrated pest management program to control and eradicate fly infestation in poultry farms. These include timely and strategic pesticide application to control the increase of fly population; and monitoring of manure management, moisture control, and sanitation.
The governor also directed poultry farm operators and owners to submit to the biosecurity measures for the issuance of their business permits to operate.(PNA/PN)
