Uruguay moves to more control of pigs to prevent FMD
Uruguay has stepped up its controls in the pig sector to evade infection of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, which has struck Paraguay.
The Uruguayan news site El País reports that measures include the disinfection and inspection of trucks carrying Paraguayan meat in transit, as well as heat treatment of grains.
Ever since Paraguayan health services confirmed the first outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in September, 2011, Uruguay’s preventive measures have included a possibility of monitoring the pigs near garbage dumps, trying to detect if there is any risk that may originate from pig access to aforementioned meats or grains.
The Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries zooms in on the pigs as they were at the heart of the outbreak that rocked the Artigas department in 2000. This occurred after the country left its policy to vaccinate cattle herds in 1996 to be declared free from FMD without vaccination. FMD then occurred due to pigs.
Now there are more reports of FMD in Paraguay, the Uruguayan Directorate General of Livestock Services will monitor its pig populations again, seeking to avoid any risky situation that could cause FMD.
“The health services department has a register in each zone that marks the presence of pig farms and we prevent any access to a power supply that can pose a risk,” said Francisco Muzio, director of Livestock Services Ministry.
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