Pigs at a flooded farm in Preah Vihear province last year. Supplied
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ General Department of Animal Health and Production has appealed to livestock farmers to prevent the spread of infectious animal diseases which may occur during the rainy season.
A department press release published Wednesday said diseases could break out in flood-prone areas.
It said farmers should prepare shelves and high ground to keep their animals safe during the floods. They should prepare enough food and water for their animals and follow up on their health daily.
“If animals are sick, they must be separated from healthy ones. They have to report cases [of sick animals] to the nearest veterinarians in the village or local authorities for them to check and treat them in time,” the general department said.
Livestock farmers can also report cases directly to the general department by calling it at 012 483 578 and 012 952 518. If infectious diseases spread to animals in communities, farmers should contact the department immediately.
The head of the Kampong Speu provincial bureau of Animal Health and Production Tep Vichet Mony told The Post that last month that his working group had vaccinated cattle against haemorrhagic septicaemia across the country.
Farmers and citizens were also informed of the different measures to protect and rescue their chickens, ducks, pigs and cattle.
He said local authorities have already prepared higher ground to allow people in flood-prone areas to set up tents temporarily, or take their animals there in the event of a flood.
“We vaccinated cattle for chickenpox and haemorrhagic septicaemia and prepared medicine and technical tools for treating animals such as chickens, ducks and pigs during floods,” he said.
Vichet Mony said that last year, a pig farm in Phnom Sruoch district flooded but escaped serious damage.
Preah Vihear provincial bureau of Animal Health and Production head Veng Honglim said last year’s floods, caused by rain and the rising Stung Sen River, had inundated a pig farm in Tbeng Meanchey district and caused hundreds of pigs to drown.
“In the above experience, our working group travelled there to educate owners of pigs, chickens and ducks to keep their animal houses or cages higher and far from the Stung Sen River to avoid floods,” he said.
