Establishments selling animal drugs and feed should be under strict management

In present days, services related to selling veterinary drugs (or animal drugs), animal feed, and veterinary clinics make an important contribution to disease prevention and protection of livestock, but in reality, it is not easy to verify the quality and effectiveness of this kind of “items” in comparison to what the packages advertised.

Many agents and for-profit businesses have mixed counterfeit and poor quality goods to make profits without paying attention to the interests of farmers and the community. According to Thanh Hoa Sub-department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, if farmers buy poor quality animal drugs and feed, the animals may not be able to prevent diseases and develop healthily.

In the first nine months of 2023, Thanh Hoa Sub-department of Livestock Production and Animal Health has organized three specialized inspections and tests for establishments in Thanh Hoa province, which includes the issuance of two Decisions to inspect and examine compliance with legal regulations in the sale of animal drugs and feed as well as the use of animal drugs.

The working group has conducted inspections in 15 districts, towns and cities with a total of 182 establishments (animal medical examination and treatment establishments, animal feed establishments, veterinary medicine establishments). Violations were detected in 49 establishments (1 veterinary clinic; 28 establishments selling animal feed, 20 establishments trading veterinary medicine). The total fine paid to the state budget is more than VND 400 million.

“The violations mainly include trading animal feed with false information about use value, effectiveness or animal feed that does not meet the quality standards announced on the product label, trading veterinary drugs while violating regulations on the trading conditions, selling fake veterinary drugs. There are also cases when animal diagnostic and surgery facilities do not have a veterinary hygiene certificate," said an officer of Thanh Hoa Sub-department of Livestock Production and Animal Health.

According to Dang Van Hiep, Director of Thanh Hoa Sub-department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, strengthening inspection of veterinary clinics and monitoring animal drugs and feed trading activities contribute to ensuring a safe and effective livestock farming industry.

To further solidify state management of animal drugs and feed as well as veterinary clinics in the near future, Thanh Hoa Sub-department of Livestock Production and Animal Health plans to cooperate with local authorities and promote communication, raise awareness and sense of responsibility of businesses and establishments operating in the production and trading of animal drugs and feed.

On the other hand, the Sub-department will coordinate with the localities to disseminate information about the list of animal drugs and feed allowed for circulation or banned from use, and provide guidance on disease prevention and control work for livestock herds.

Local authorities also recommend livestock farmers to proactively implement biosafety farming measures to reduce the amount of animal drugs used and only buy products from trusted establishments or licensed stores to avoid affecting the quality of livestock products.

Thanh Hoa Sub-department of Livestock Production and Animal Health has recently worked with the local functional forces to review, update the list and promote communication, gain a thorough understanding and disseminate information about legal regulations on management, trade and use of animal drugs to 100% of establishments in the area.

At the same time, the Sub-department also proactively organizes training with the aim of improving the professional qualifications of local veterinary staff, increasing investment and modernizing facilities for sampling and testing to promptly detect violating facilities.

Every year, Thanh Hoa Sub-department of Livestock Production and Animal Health develops a specific plan and forms a working group to periodically inspect veterinary drug trading establishments in the province. This is a fairly effective way to demand stores to commit not to sell aminal drugs that are not on the permitted list, drugs of unknown origin, or expired drugs.

Having one of the largest livestock herds in Vietnam, for the past few years, the situation of livestock and poultry diseases in Thanh Hoa has been well-controlled. Particularly since the beginning of 2022, the province has not recorded any case of African swine fever, avian flu and other dangerous infectious diseases, resulting in more confidence for businesses and farmers to invest in livestock development.