Compensation deadline for pigs
2005-06-15
THE Department of Agriculture has slaughtered out all pigs of the small farmers in the Boland/Malmesbury State Veterinary areas that have thus far tested positive for Blue Ear Disease.
To date approximately 5000 pigs belonging to 98 small farmers have been purchased by the State for about R3 million and slaughtered from 13 April until 25 May.
The South African Pork Producers Organisation (SAPPO) has requested the Western Cape Department of Agriculture to continue with the testing of pigs in the Western Cape to ensure that all positive pigs are identified and culled.
SAPPO further requested that compensation only be paid up until 15 June after which date any pigs diagnosed as positive will have to be culled at the owners’ expense with no compensation from the State.
The reason for this is that the Department has been busy since December with the process of detecting infected pigs and has repeatedly requested that all owners come forward and contact the State Veterinarian to have their pigs tested. These requests of SAPPO have been consented to.
Urgent
If there are still farmers whose pigs have not yet been tested for Blue Ear disease (PRRS), they must urgently contact their local State Veterinarian on 808-5253 to ensure that they are tested before 15 June.
Testing will continue, but should positive pigs be detected after this cut-off date the pigs will be removed by Technicians from the Department of Agriculture without any compensation and for the owners’ own expense.
Minister Cobus Dowry thanked those farmers who have so willingly co-operated by complying with movement restrictions, bio-security implementation and assisted with the eradication campaign so far.
He also expressed his gratitude to SAPPO and Veterinary Services in the Western Cape for their time and effort in making a very
concerted attempt to eradicate PRRS permanently from the country.
More
News
|
