A team of the Animal Husbandry department on Tuesday began the culling of pigs that were found infected with African swine fever at Kanichar panchayat in Kannur.
Ajith Babu, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry department, said that a 20-member emergency response team of the department is leading the operations at private pig farms.
Though the work was scheduled to start early on Tuesday morning, it was delayed due to heavy rain in the area. Only by evening, the team managed to start culling of the pigs here, he said.
“For three days, the group will be camping in the disease-affected area and as a first step, the first farm and its surroundings have been cleaned and disinfected and access to the public has been restricted,” he said.
Mr. Babu said that 95 pigs would be culled in the first farm. The services of Fire and Rescue personnel will also be sought to complete the operation and disinfect the farm. In the second phase, 176 pigs in another farm would be culled, he said.
A full-time control room has been set up at the Kannur District Veterinary Centre to coordinate the activities.
