#South Korea-Institute finds infection and covers up for days

Institute finds infection and covers up for days January 13, 2011

The Gyeongsangbuk-do Livestock Research Institute in North Gyeongsang, a premier agricultural breeding facility, became infected with foot-and-mouth disease - and covered it up for six days. Jeong Chang-jin, chief of the institute, said Tuesday that a female striped ox at the egg transfer center of the institute was found to be FMD-positive by the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service last Wednesday despite the institute’s preventive measures. However, neither the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service, which tested the ox’s blood, nor the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries was aware of the fact. When the institute sent the blood to the Veterinary Service for tests, the request was sent in the name of Jeong, not the institute, to make it look like it came from an individual farm. Since one ox was infected, the rest of the hoofed mammals in the institute should have been slaughtered quickly. The institute was raising 1,100 such animals, including Hanwoo (cows native to Korea), striped oxen, which are considered a rare variety, milk cows and pigs. The institute delayed the slaughters until Tuesday. “Currently, 670 livestock have been slaughtered and buried,” said Jeong, adding that “the procedure is taking time as the institute is using its own manpower and equipment.” He said they will “hurry the procedure.” The outbreak in the institute has halted all breeding activities. Moreover, production and supply of breeding pigs and sperm are no longer possible. It was the second livestock research institute in a rural area to become infected with FMD following one in South Chungcheong last May. Meanwhile, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries heightened the crisis alert for avian influenza after it spread from South Jeolla to Gyeonggi on Jan. 8.