The second phase of culling of pigs at three farms under Mananthavady municipality in Wayanad district, where a case of African swine fever had been confirmed, was completed on Wednesday night.
A 16-member Rapid Response team consisting of veterinarians, stunners and culling experts culled nearly 100 pigs on the farms by 9 p. m, P. Rajesh, Chief Veterinary officer ,Wayanad told The Hindu.
The team commenced the operation around 2 p.m. at a farm at Kuttimoola near Kaniyaram, where as many as 48 pigs died of the disease a few weeks ago. As many as 29 pigs owned by Vipeesh Puthanpura were culled and carcasses disposed of in one-and-a-half hours, as per the guidelines of the Centre, Dr. Rajesh said.
The second operation started at 6 p.m. at a farm at Kallumottamkunnu and 31 pigs on the farm of Shaji of Muthasseryil were culled. The final operation started on the farm of Kuriakose at Kuzhinilam around 8 p.m. and as many 35 pigs were culled by the team. The carcasses were buried in separate pits about 80 m to 100 m away from the farms.
The operation in the second farm began little late owing to the adverse weather in the area, Dr. Rajesh said.
The massive culling commenced on Sunday after samples of animals from two pig farms at Kaniyaram, near Mananthavady, and Kattimoola near Thavinhal tested positive at the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases, Bhopal.
As many as 360 pigs were culled in the first phase of the operation at Kattimoola near Thavinhal on Sunday.
The Wayanad district administration has declared a 1-km radius of the disease-affected areas as “infection zones” and killing of pigs and sale of pork in the area is banned.
Two to ten-km areas were declared as surveillance zones and two teams, each team consisting of four members, were also constituted to strengthen surveillance measures, Dr. Rajesh said .
Compensation would be given to owners of the culled animals as per the guidelines of the Centre and the expenses would be borne by the Central and State governments equally.
