Thursday, January 13, 2011

Latest Statistics on Korean Cull, January 2011

Latest Statistics on Korean Cull, January 2011
Tuesday, 11 January 2011 16:49

pigs_buried_alive20

(photo © 경북매일신문 & kbmaeil.com)

1. Cull Numbers as of January 9, 2011

Target of animals to cull = 1,330,000

Completed culling as of January 9 = 1,157,000

Cattle =103,000
Pigs = 1,051,000
Deer, sheep, goats = 3,000

2. Euthanasia

Succinylcholine (for human surgery) was used. This drug is a neuromuscular blocking agent that induces muscle paralysis without loss of consciousness. So this drug is not acceptable as a sole agent for euthanasia. Because cattle were the main focus of government efforts, pigs were not given succinylcholine.

The total amount of the drug available was 200,000 ampules (this is the exact number supplied by the manufacturer).

1~3 ampules are needed to kill cattle:

1 x ampules kills through intravenous injection
3 x ampules kills through muscle injection

Cattle were mainly killed through muscle injection. But after one month of the FMD outbreak, the drug had run out (on December 29, 2010). At that point we can presume live burials were used exclusively for cattle and all other animals.

3. FMD Outbreaks as of Jaunary 10, 2011

The virus type is the same with Japan.

Total outbreak cases = 112 (certified)

Cattle = 78
Pigs = 34

4. Percentage of Live Burials

At the most conservative estimate, based on pig numbers only, over 90% of animals were buried alive. Many other animals, including cattle have met the same fate; however, it is unknown what percentage of those animals were buried alive.

Also, at the same time foot-and-mouth has been sweeping Korea, there were bird flu outbreaks and a separate culling operation began for that. To date, 600,000 birds have been buried alive.

If we include the live burials of birds, a minimum 94% of 1,757,000 animals have been buried alive since November 29, 2010.



Updates After Jan. 9

FMD outbreaks = 116

FMD deaths now at 1.41 million.

AI live burials now at 2.7 million

Minimum percentage of animals buried alive: 97-8%

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