TAIWAN SWINE ASSOC, EXPERT REQUEST HALT TO PIG VACCINE PLAN.

TAIPEI, March 2 Asia Pulse - The Taipei-based Swine Association strongly urged the government Saturday not to vaccinate the country's pigs against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) , despite outbreaks of the disease in central Taiwan earlier this month.

The practice of vaccinating pigs against the disease had nearly been eliminated in Taiwan by the end of last year, but with the recent outbreaks at two farms in Yunlin and Changhua counties, the Council of Agriculture (COA) reportedly intends to resume the practice nationwide.

The COA Bureau of Animal and Plant Health declined to comment on the reports, but said "it is about the science. We will make the final decision after talking with the Swine Association and experts."

Swine Association Chairman Pen Lien-chou said the reported move would waste the efforts of the past 12 years to build a "zero-vaccine" environment in Taiwan, a key requirement needed to be designated as FMD-free by the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

Pen urged the government to remain determined to wipe out the FMD virus and turn Taiwan into an "FMD-free" country.

Lai Shiow-suey, a professor in National Taiwan University's Department of Veterinary Medicine, stressed that it is very important for Taiwan to become an "FMD-free" country again in consideration of domestic pig farmers' benefits.

Only by being declared ...