BÀ RỊA-VŨNG TÀU — Many provinces in Việt Nam have taken preventive measures against diseases afflicting cattle, including vaccination.

Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu Province’s Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sub-department has, for instance, worked with local authorities to compulsorily vaccinate livestock against foot-and-mouth disease and pigs also against swine fever.

Households and farms with 200 head of cattle or fewer are provided the vaccines free while the rest have to pay at the rate set by the Government.

The shots are being given in two phases in May and October.

In the first phase from May 4 to 25, the sub-department vaccinated 127,000 animals against foot-and-mouth disease and 79,000 pigs also against swine fever.

The province has 201,000 buffaloes, cows, goats, and sheep and 375,000 pigs.

In March it saw six outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease among pigs in Xuyên Mộc District, Phú Mỹ Town and Bà Rịa City, leading to the culling of more than 300 pigs.

According to the sub-department, foot-and-mouth disease and swine fever are dangerously acute contagious diseases that could cause severe losses to the livestock industry.

Animal husbandry is mostly done on a small scale in the country and with little biological safety, and so vaccinating is an effective method to prevent diseases.

The Mekong Delta province of Tiền Giang has stockpiled enough vaccines and disinfectants.

The province People’s Committee has instructed The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to check which households have not had their livestock vaccinated, especially pigs against foot-and-mouth disease, and vaccinate them.

The department should strengthen communication about the risks of disease outbreaks and preventive measures.

It should also control transport of animals and animal products and fine those doing so illegally.

The south-central province of Phú Yên has distributed 23,425 vaccines for free in 30 communes.

In another south-central province, Quảng Nam, the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sub-department has distributed 115,000 doses of vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease to households and farms in 15 districts and towns. More will follow.

The Quảng Ngãi Province People’s Committee has asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for 20,000 doses of foot-and-mouth vaccine and 20,000 litres of disinfectants.

As of February 2,410 head of livestock in 800 households had been affected by foot-and-mouth disease in six districts and a city.

According to the World Organisation for Animal Health, foot-and-mouth disease is one of 120 serious diseases globally. In Việt Nam, economic losses due to the disease and the cost of prevention add up to more than US$20 million a year.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said AVAC, a member of the Rural Technology Development Group, has produced a vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease Type O. VNS