How to carry out animal epidemic prevention after flood disasters?

1. What animal epidemics are likely to spread after flood disasters and why?

(1) During flood disasters, large numbers of animals die from the disaster. As the weather turns warmer, animal carcasses rot, which easily leads to the occurrence and spread of many animal epidemics such as foot-and-mouth disease, highly pathogenic avian influenza, highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, swine streptococcosis, leptospirosis, and anthrax.

(2) Reasons: First, the rearing environment is far worse than before. After heavy rainfall, livestock and poultry houses are extensively damaged and epidemic prevention facilities are affected. Second, pathogens easily spread in large quantities. Large numbers of livestock and poultry die from the disaster, and pathogenic microorganisms multiply on the carcasses; at the same time, large amounts of pathogenic microorganisms in the soil are exposed, easily contaminating water sources and other environments. Third, the immunity of livestock and poultry declines. After floods, the resistance of most livestock and poultry declines, making them vulnerable to epidemic diseases, and immunization must be strengthened according to requirements and immunization schedules. Some diseases that do not easily occur in normal years, such as anthrax and swine streptococcosis, may also occur.

2. How to do a good job of disease prevention after a disaster?

First, promptly carry out harmless disposal of dead livestock and poultry; second, disinfect the environment inside and outside the farms as well as slaughterhouses, trading markets, and sites for handling livestock and poultry carcasses; third, strengthen immunization; fourth, strengthen feeding management, ensure the safety of livestock and poultry feed and drinking water, and ensure that the rearing environment is clean and hygienic.

3. What measures should agriculture and animal husbandry departments take?

First, help disaster-affected farms (households) resume production and reduce losses as soon as possible, and do a good job of technical guidance and publicity and training on epidemic prevention knowledge. Second, strengthen disinfection and guide harmless disposal. Guide and urge farms (households) to do a good job of environmental disinfection and harmless disposal of animal carcasses. Third, strengthen epidemic monitoring and promptly report and handle sudden outbreaks. Emergency work must be strengthened, and sudden outbreaks must be handled in accordance with emergency plans and prevention and control technical specifications. Fourth, strengthen quarantine supervision and strictly prevent diseased and dead livestock and poultry from entering the market. Severely crack down on the sale of diseased and dead animals and their products. On the one hand, ensure the smooth transport of animals and their products entering and leaving disaster areas; on the other hand, ensure animal epidemic prevention order and prevent cross-regional spread of epidemics. Fifth, strengthen post-disaster immunization and assist in restoring livestock and poultry production.

4. How to promptly handle diseased and dead livestock and poultry?

The simplest and most effective treatment method is deep burial. For deep burial, choose high ground, with a pit depth of more than 2 m. After the carcass is placed in the pit, sprinkle quicklime or disinfectant solution and cover with thick soil. Where conditions permit, incineration may be carried out, or the carcass may be directly put into a harmless disposal pool.

5. How should pens and the environment be disinfected?

First, disinfect collapsed pens, with the focus on on-site disinfection of dead animals and the pens; second, disinfect farms that can continue to be used. Large farms should be cleaned regularly and disinfected regularly with chemical drugs to keep pens clean and the environment hygienic, prevent intrusion by wild animals, and eliminate rats and mosquitoes and flies. For small farms and free-range households, the focus is on frequently cleaning pens and handling manure to keep them clean. If disease occurs, chemical disinfectants must be used for disinfection. Third, disinfect rebuilt pens. In addition to routine disinfection, after a disaster the number of disinfection times should be increased according to the epidemic situation, and suitable disinfectants should be selected. Where conditions permit, build biogas digesters to ferment manure and prevent mosquito and fly breeding.

6. What should be noted when disinfecting farms after a disaster?

First, ensure the frequency of disinfection. After a disaster, the environment should be disinfected at least twice a week, and pens may be disinfected 3 to 4 times a week with livestock and poultry present. Once an epidemic occurs, the number of disinfection times must be increased, and the disinfection effect must be monitored. Second, ensure the effective concentration of the disinfectant. Third, keep the pens and environment clean and hygienic before disinfection. Fourth, prevent environmental pollution during the disinfection process. Fifth, after the occurrence of major animal infectious diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, swine fever, and highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, they must be handled in strict accordance with the emergency handling plan of the Ministry of Agriculture.

7. How to prevent animal poisoning from moldy feed?

Because of continuous heavy rain, feed is prone to mold. Mold in moldy feed can cause animal poisoning. After poisoning, animals generally have normal body temperature, dry feces, and vomiting symptoms. Sows are infertile and show abortion. Some show neurological symptoms, and severe cases result in death. There is bleeding in many parts of the body including internal organs, and necrosis in the liver. There is no effective treatment for moldy feed poisoning; prevention is key. It is strictly forbidden to feed spoiled, deteriorated, or moldy feed. Pay attention to the shelf life of feed and prevent the use of expired feed.

8. Why is it necessary to do a good job of livestock and poultry immunization?

Disasters can very easily cause epidemics. Some diseases that have not occurred for many years or rarely occur, such as swine erysipelas, swine pasteurellosis, swine streptococcosis, and anthrax, may also occur. After a disaster, the resistance of livestock and poultry declines, and it is difficult for them to develop strong immunity. Livestock and poultry that have not been vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease, swine fever, Newcastle disease, and highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome must be immediately vaccinated. For livestock and poultry that have already been vaccinated, according to the results of immune antibody testing and the epidemic situation in surrounding areas, a booster immunization should be given once when necessary. Therefore, at present, livestock and poultry immunization work must be given special attention. For other livestock and poultry infectious diseases, preventive vaccination should also be done well according to epidemic dynamics.

9. What are the "four prohibitions and one disposal" measures?

The four prohibitions are "no slaughtering, no eating, no selling, and no transporting diseased and dead livestock and poultry and their products," and one disposal is "dead livestock and poultry must undergo harmless disposal."

10. How to raise livestock and poultry after flood disasters?

First, dredge the drainage channels of the farm as soon as possible, remove standing water in livestock sheds, repair and reinforce damaged livestock sheds, and if they cannot be repaired in time, move livestock and poultry to a dry and safe area as soon as possible. Second, create a good rearing environment, keep livestock sheds hygienic, clean manure in time, and do a good job of ventilation. Third, supply nutrient-rich feed and clean drinking water. Feed should be added in small amounts and fed frequently to avoid mold. Compound vitamin B and Vc may be added to drinking water to enhance the resistance of livestock and poultry and eliminate stress. Fourth, promptly cull young, weak, injured, disabled, and seriously ill livestock and poultry to reduce feeding costs. Commercial livestock and poultry that have reached the market standard should be marketed as soon as possible to reduce stocking density.