BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Hog raisers in Negros Occidental are hoping that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will issue a Certificate of Product Registration for the Vietnam-made Avac vaccine against African Swine Fever (ASF).
The Avac vaccine is a long awaited solution to ASF and would be a big help to backyard hog raisers, said Ric Lauron, president of the Alliance of Hog Raisers Association of Negros Occidental.
Earlier, Bureau of Animal Industry assistant director Arlene Vytiaco said they are pushing for the Avac vaccine after its trial recorded positive results. Vaccinated pigs produced antibodies.
“The safety and efficacy trials in Luzon showed that injected hogs produced 100 percent antibodies. The vaccine has no side effects on animals,” Vytiaco added.
Meanwhile, Lauron said they are happy that Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson will give financial assistance to hog raisers affected by swine mortalities.
The provincial government allotted an initial P4 million as financial assistance to hog raisers affected by swine diseases, particularly hog cholera and ASF.
Each affected hog raiser will receive P2,000 and it will be released through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.
Lacson,however, admitted that not everybody will be covered, although the local government units can also assist.
As of June 4, the number of hog mortalities reached 10,004, or 8.84 percent of the province’s hog population, data from the Provincial Veterinary Office (PHO) showed.
PHO added that losses due to various hog illnesses surged to P114,280,250./PN
