The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (AH&VS), Wokha, has reported that no case of African Swine Fever (ASF) was detected during an extensive surveillance and inspection drive conducted across pig stockyards, butcher shops and meat outlets within and around Wokha town.
In an inspection report submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, Wokha, Chief Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Officer Dr KN Zubemo Humtsoe said the surveillance exercise was carried out from 6:00 am to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday by an inspection team led by the department.
During the drive, the team inspected nine pig stockyards and 18 butcher shops and meat outlets, while monitoring animal body temperatures and examining pigs for clinical signs associated with ASF.
A total of 52 live pigs underwent ante-mortem inspection, while 24 tissue and meat samples were collected from butcher shops for ASF surveillance. In addition, six randomly selected live pigs were screened using African Swine Fever Rapid Detection Test kits.
The inspection team also assessed sanitary and hygienic conditions at slaughter points and meat outlets and verified veterinary health certificates, sources of animals and transportation documents.
According to the report, no clinical signs suggestive of African Swine Fever were observed, and all samples tested negative for the disease.
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Based on the findings, the department recommended that traders and livestock owners continue sourcing live pigs only from ASF-free farms and zones with valid veterinary certification. It also stressed the need for strict enforcement of ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections, proper hygiene and sanitation at stockyards and meat outlets, and ensuring that every consignment of pigs is accompanied by valid transportation permits and health certificates issued by competent veterinary authorities.
The department further recommended continued ASF surveillance through regular sample collection and rapid testing to facilitate early detection and prevent any possible outbreak.
The report concluded that the inspection was successfully completed and confirmed that no African Swine Fever-positive cases were detected during the surveillance exercise.
