MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Outbreak of foot and mouth disease in south China pig farms

According to the official statement 8.382 pigs were culled

A total of 8,382 pigs have been culled after a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in south China's Guangdong Province, bordering Hong Kong, local animal husbandry and veterinary officials reported earlier this week.

The National Foot-and-Mouth Disease Reference Laboratory confirmed the outbreak Monday, said Yu Yedong, deputy director of Guangdong Provincial Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Bureau.

A suspected foot-and-mouth outbreak, involving 1,474 pigs, was reported in Huangjinwei in Baiyun District in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong, on Feb. 22. The outbreak led to the culling of all 8,382 pigs in Huangjinwei, including the affected 1,474, Yu said.

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious and sometimes fatal illness that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, pigs, sheep and goats.

Agricultural ministry urged intensive vaccinations to prevent outbreaks of diseases, including bird flu and blue ear. This year's prevention work will face more challenges and difficulties, vice minister Gao Hongbin told a national conference last week without elaborating.

Industry officials said hog diseases have been frequently reported in some northern Chinese provinces early in the year.