After the Lunar New Year, livestock farm owners have begun to restock their herds to maintain production, ensure supply, and meet market demand. However, this is also the time when the weather changes, causing the risk of outbreaks and complicated developments of diseases in livestock and poultry. Therefore, livestock farmers need to be cautious in restocking and proactively implement measures to prevent and control diseases.
Poultry farmers in Yen Phu commune (Yen Dinh) quarantine poultry for 2 weeks before allowing them to join the flock.
In 2024, Thanh Hoa province set a target of having a total herd of over 27.4 million animals; meat output of all kinds reaching 300 thousand tons and egg output reaching 310 million eggs... However, the agricultural sector forecasts that this will be a year with many difficulties because feed prices and production costs are still high, the disease situation in livestock and poultry is still complicated, especially the risk of spreading African swine fever... Therefore, to achieve this goal, before re-herding and increasing the scale of livestock farming, the agricultural sector recommends that farmers need to find out information about forecasts and market developments to invest in the number of herds suitable to production conditions; especially, focusing on strictly implementing measures to prevent and control diseases and clean the livestock environment.
Mr. Vu Duc Bay, Tho Binh commune (Trieu Son), said: "Immediately after selling pigs to serve the Lunar New Year market, my family cleaned, disinfected, and sterilized the livestock barn area with lime powder and chemicals. In addition, we prepare breeding stock from reputable facilities, with clear origins, and have passed veterinary quarantine; newly adopted pigs must be quarantined in a separate area for 15 to 20 days before entering the herd, vaccinated against diseases, and limit strangers from entering the breeding area to avoid bringing pathogens from other areas." According to Mr. Bay, in response to the livestock industry's forecast of the disease situation, high production costs... to avoid risks, he will not increase the number of pigs raised but only raise them sparingly, then if it is stable, he will import more breeding stock to increase the herd; at the same time, he will still apply biosafety farming to limit risks when an epidemic occurs.
Herd restoration is often concentrated from January to March - the time of changing seasons, this is also the time when diseases in livestock and poultry develop strongly, so in addition to quickly stabilizing and restoring livestock, it is necessary to strengthen disease prevention and control with measures such as: Clearing sewers, avoiding moisture; the entire barn floor and walls must use a pressure hose to pump clean water, clean equipment and livestock tools... In addition, provide clean food, drinking water, and ensure adequate nutrition. For poultry, it is necessary to quarantine for at least 2 weeks to monitor for disease before allowing them to join the flock; use light bulbs, add bedding to keep the animals warm. At the same time, it is necessary to apply livestock farming on biological bedding to limit disease.
Given the current situation of the livestock industry, before restocking and increasing the scale of livestock farming, livestock farmers need to find out information about market forecasts and developments, about supply and demand, and where to consume products to invest in the number of herds that are suitable for economic conditions; do not restock massively. Regarding breeding animals, before, during and after Tet, people should maintain parent breeding animals to ensure quality breeding animals; for livestock farms and households importing breeding animals from outside, it is necessary to find reputable establishments with quarantine certificates.
Currently, unusual weather is a condition for diseases to develop in livestock and poultry. Farmers should focus on implementing measures such as renovating barns to be airy, avoiding drafts and rain; using lime powder or disinfectants to spray and disinfect barns... Agricultural service centers in districts, towns and cities also need to organize instructions and propaganda for households to vaccinate; raise livestock in a biosafety direction, apply biological bedding... Along with that, during the raising process, people must regularly monitor and observe livestock, when seeing unusual phenomena such as: high fever, loss of appetite, coughing, difficulty breathing... must quickly quarantine them for inspection, monitoring and treatment; at the same time, notify veterinary staff to be guided on appropriate disease prevention and treatment measures. Localities need to actively coordinate with specialized units to monitor the actual number of animals being re-raised, receive re-raised declarations from livestock households, and resolutely not re-raise livestock households that do not meet the conditions for biosafety farming.
Article and photos: Le Ngoc
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