Carcasses of culled hogs about to be buried (PNA photo)
Some 900 hogs found to be infected with the African swine fever (ASF) were culled in a Norzagaray farm in Bulacan.
The carcasses were immediately buried in the farm’s property owned by Edwin Ong of the Eco Agri Farm found in Sitio Mataas na Kahoy at Barangay FVR.
Norzagaray Municipal Agriculturist Agapito Pascual said the infected hogs were electrocuted to death prior to burying them while the whole farm was disinfected and quarantined after.
Norzaragay Municipal Officer Dennis Arceo said that Mayor Fred Germar promptly sent an inspection team in the area after the infected farm was brought to his attention.
Preventive measures are now being undertaken in the areas jointly by the Norzagaray local government and the Bulacan provincial government.
Based on protocols, four more backyard hog farms found within the one-kilometer radius will be subjected to a series of tests.
ASF was reported last year in the towns of Guiguinto, Plaridel, Pulilan, Pandi, Baliwag, San Rafael, Bulakan and even Malolos City and many commercial and backyard farms closed down after their hogs were culled. (Jojo Mangahis)