Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson is urging hog farmers to follow the provincial government’s guidelines on sentinelling before they resume pig repopulating to prevent a resurgence of deadly diseases.
The sentinel protocol is a science-based approach to determining if a virus or disease is still present in an area. The survival of a sentinel pig will determine if an area is disease free and ready for repopulation.
African swine fever and hog cholera caused the death of thousands of pigs in Negros Occidental this year, but now it is down to zero mortality, Lacson said.
If the sentinelling goes well, the target is to repopulate starting next year, Lacson said.
Pig exports have dropped because there are still some areas where Negros raisers cannot sell their hogs, Lacson said.
On the positives side this has meant a drop in the price of lechons, he said.
“It’s a good sign because our hog raisers are still able to sell”, Lacson said.*