By Ling Hui
KUCHING, March 11: All pig pens in the Sibu abattoir will be washed with only pipe water and not river water as in previous practices.
Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting said this was one of the many changes implemented in the effort to curb the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF).
He said it was recommended by the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak (DVSS) to avoid using river water which could be contaminated due to irresponsible disposal of infected pigs.
“Another thing we need to do is to clear the entire sewage pit and sanitise the sewage treatment area, because they are full of diseases now.
“We are also waiting for DVSS to tell us how many times we need to carry this out,” he said, adding that the first round of sanitisation was already completed yesterday (March 10).
Meanwhile, Ting also listed several new adaptations in terms of operations at the abattoir once allowed to reopen, which includes the strict testing of pigs before entering the abattoir.
He said all pigs must be tested and be free of any diseases before being permitted to enter the abattoir to ensure the pork supply is safe to be consumed.
“This is SMC’s main objective. We have to make sure all the meat we supply to the butchers are free from any disease, so that the public has the confidence to buy,” he told DayakDaily today.
Additionally, he said, the number of pigs imported into the abattoir will also be reduced according to the daily consumption rate.
No pigs will be left around the abattoir for slaughter on other days to minimise the chances of ASF manifesting among the living pigs.
Ting said the new preventive measures were decided and agreed upon in a meeting between SMC, DVSS and other related parties yesterday (March 10).
Operators of pork markets and pork shops are also urged to strictly comply with all cleaning and sanitising works starting Saturday (March 12).
Since March 9, Sibu abattoir was instructed to be closed down for 60 days following a discovery that five out of six pigs tested positive for ASF. — DayakDaily
