Binh Dinh aims for the 'golden vaccination rate' of 80% for livestock herds

Striving for an 80% vaccination rate before the Tet holiday

As the weather is showing complicated developments and the disease situation is hard to predict, Binh Dinh authorities have accelerated vaccination to preserve livestock in the last months of the year. The province has a large livestock herd of more than 308,000 cows, nearly 696,000 pigs (excluding piglets) and approximately 10 million poultry of all kinds.

Accordingly, Binh Dinh Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health has proactively developed a disease prevention plan, allocated funds to purchase vaccines, and coordinated with localities to organize vaccination sessions. The ultimate goal is to achieve a vaccinating rate of over 80% of the total livestock herd.

Huynh Ngoc Diep, Head of Binh Dinh Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, said, "Although the provincial authorities promptly handled a number of small outbreaks in the early stages of the year, the risk of an outbreak is still latent in the environment, particularly during the rainy and stormy season. Therefore, Binh Dinh’s competent forces have implemented the second vaccination campaign in 2024 with foot-and-mouth disease vaccines for buffaloes and cows and avian influenza for newly restocked poultry flocks".

Up to this point, the vaccination rate for avian influenza has reached nearly 65% ​​of the total herd, and the vaccination rate for foot-and-mouth disease for cattle and buffaloes has reached nearly 45%. Localities are taking advantage of favorable weather conditions to speed up the vaccination progress and achieve the set target.

However, Diep still has certain concerns. Vaccination work faces many obstacles, mostly in small and scattered poultry farms. Funding for avian influenza vaccination is limited, only VND 200/poultry, so it has not served as motivation for the grassroots veterinary team to wholeheartedly devote themselves to the task.

“Another thing to add is that small-scale livestock farmers in some localities have not shown full cooperation, not keeping poultry in check for veterinary staff to vaccinate, leading to delays in vaccination progress. Livestock that are not fully vaccinated are at high risk of creating disease outbreaks, potentially causing great economic losses if the disease spreads,” said Huynh Ngoc Diep.

Authorities must work alongside livestock farmers

Livestock farmers in Binh Dinh are eagerly restocking their herds to supply livestock and poultry meat during Tet. In the last months of 2024, trading and transporting activities of livestock and poultry are even more bustling at the markets.

On the other hand, since the beginning of the year, African swine fever has broken out in 47 provinces and cities across the country, with 1,139 outbreaks, showing an alarming rate of disease transmission. Binh Dinh Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health has assessed the situation and recommended authorities at all levels to strengthen monitoring work and be ready to respond when there are signs of disease outbreaks, ensuring the completion rate of the second vaccination campaign in 2024 is achieved as planned.

Binh Dinh Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health has also sent technical staff to each locality to inspect and provide guidance on vaccination work. At the same time, monitoring teams have been established to ensure that the process of vaccination, transportation and vaccine inventory are technically correct, ensuring quality and effectiveness.

“We also recommend that farmers focus on supplementing vitamins and minerals to increase the resistance of livestock, maintain barn hygiene, and fully vaccinate livestock and poultry with appropriate vaccines. The breeds are also an important factor that farmers need to pay close attention to. When restocking, choosing to buy disease-free breeding animals is also an effective way to prevent disease outbreaks,” said Huynh Ngoc Diep, Head of Binh Dinh Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health.

Hoai An is a district in the north of Binh Dinh, currently one of the localities with the biggest pig herd. In preparation for the dynamic market activities during Tet, Vo Duy Tin, Head of Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hoai An district, said, ”Full vaccination not only helps keep livestock healthy and maintain stable production but also protects public health in the current complicated weather and disease situations”.