The Department of Agriculture (DA) has permitted commercial raisers to transport hogs from their farms even if they are located within the 1-kilometer control zone for as long as their animals are free from African swine fever (ASF).
The DA issued Administrative Order (AO) 10 which outlined the new guidelines covering the movement of live animals from swine farms within the 1-km zone of areas struck by ASF.
The measure is meant to avert supply disruptions and price spikes, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The order, dated September 25, effectively amended the government’s protocol on controlling and containing the spread of the fatal hog disease as stipulated in its contingency plan.
Under AO 10, the moving out of live hogs intended for slaughter in commercial farms from the 1-km zones should be permitted if laboratory tests conducted on the pigs for two consecutive weeks reveal that the animals are negative for ASF.
Upon the government’s declaration of a 1-km zone, 30 blood samples would be collected from all ages (preferably 10 breeders, 10 growers and 10 piglets) in commercial farms, according to the AO.
“If tested negative, movement will be held for seven days for retesting,” the document read.
The government shall undertake a second testing after a week and if the results are still negative, the commercial farm would be allowed to move their pigs within the municipality and the National Capital Region (NCR), if the farm is located in Regions 3 and 4A.
“Weekly testing will continue until 1-7-10 is lifted in the concerned zone,” the AO read.
“At any point during the testing the result yielded positive for ASF virus, the farm will be classified as infected and will be subjected to the necessary protocols for a Ground Zero,” it added.
The AO stipulated that live pigs allowed to move outside the 1-km zone “are allowed to be slaughtered in accredited slaughterhouses for consumption.”
“These pigs should be sent to the nearest accredited slaughterhouse in the same municipality as the source farm, and NCR if farm is located in Regions 3 and 4A only,” it read.
“Slaughter shall be in an AA slaughterhouse facility. Meat from these animals are allowed in locality and in NCR markets only,” it added.
Trucks that would deliver the live hogs should have the necessary permits, such as accreditation or handler’s license.
However, the AO pointed out that entry of live pigs for fattening in a commercial grow-out farm within the 1-km radius remains “strictly prohibited.”
Likewise, entry and move out of breeder pigs in commercial farms within the 1-km zone are “strictly prohibited.”
The movement of pigs in backyard farms remains prohibited, and culling and destruction operations shall be observed.
“All live backyard pigs within the 1-kilometer radius are to be included in a preemptive culling and destruction,” the AO read.
“Disposal/burial should be preferably onsite. If due to space constraints, burial is to be done offsite, the dead pigs should be transported to the burial site using a closed vehicle,” it added.
The country’s total swine inventory as of July 1 was estimated at 12.7 million heads, 63 percent of which, or around 8.02 million, are in backyard farms, Philippine Statistics Authority data showed. Commercial farms had 4.68 million pigs.