DHEMAJI, March 13 - A team of experts from College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry, Khanapara, Guwahati recently visited Sissitongani area in Dhemaji subdivision, wherein swine disease had taken a heavy toll on domestic pigs.
The team members collected blood, flesh and kidney of the pig carcasses for sample test. However, finding of the diagnostic tests with the samples is awaited.
Sources from District Veterinary department said that the swine fever broke out in Sissitongani and Jonai area during early January this year. More than 576 domestic pigs were reported dead.
The department received only 300 doses of swine fever vaccine this year, which was too inadequate to cover several thousand pig population spread over more than 1,000 villages in the district.
Large-scale mortality of domestic pigs in the district has incurred huge loss to rural farmers and they have urged the District Veterinary department to take time-bound measures to save their valuable livestock.
Officials have suggested pig farmers to maintain a hygienic atmosphere in rearing their animals and feed them with nutritious food. They further asked farmers to insure their pigs to get benefit against unexpected death.
The scientists say that swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease which, in its most virulent form, can be 100% lethal to domestic pigs and wild boars. It is characterized by high fever, loss of appetite and haemorrhage in the skin and internal organs, while diarrhoea, vomiting, coughing and breathing difficulties are other symptoms of this infection. Death comes in two to 10 days on an average.
