Department of Agriculture

PH bans live cattle imports from Thailand, 3 others over lumpy skin disease fears

Rappler.com

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PH bans live cattle imports from Thailand, 3 others over lumpy skin disease fears
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. makes the order upon the recommendations of the World Organization for Animal Health

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has banned import of live cattle and buffaloes from Libya, Russia, South Korea and Thailand due to due to outbreaks of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD).

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. made the order in relation to the recommendations of the World Organization for Animal Health Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

He signed DA memorandum oder No. 06 ordering the immediate “suspension of processing, evaluation and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary clearances for the import of specific live cattle and buffaloes.”

In a press release on Sunday, February 4, the DA said that “safe commodities (skeletal muscle meat, gelatine and collagen, tallow, hooves and horns) are still allowed to be imported from the said country as long as the country is accredited to import following the import terms and conditions of the Philippines.”

LSD, which originated in Africa, is a cattle disease caused by a virus transmitted by blood-sucking insects such as mosquitoes and ticks, and causes fever, nodules on the skin. It may even cause death, particularly those that have had no previous exposure.

“The virus can cause significant production losses but can be controlled either by culling or by vaccination,” the DA said.

No cases of LSD have been reported in the Philippines and Indonesia so far.

Tiu Laurel also ordered for the confiscation, seizure and disposal of live cattle and buffaloes as well as products and by-products coming from shipments of the said countries that didn’t comply with the memorandum. – Rappler.com

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