Barbara Duckworth filed these reports from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association meeting in Denver, Colorado
South Korea’s foot-and-mouth epidemic will likely cost it $3 billion.
Officials had confirmed 142 farms as positive as of Feb. 3.
The contagious disease was found in the northern part of the country Nov. 23.
“It is premature to say what is the origin. We don’t know yet,” said Songmoo Heo, the South Korean embassy’s veterinary attaché in Washington, D.C.
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Three million cattle, hogs, elk and goats have been destroyed, he told an emerging disease committee meeting held during the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention in Denver.
“We killed about 6,000 head per day,” he said.
All the animals on infected farms were killed as well as those in a 500 metre to three kilometre radius of the farms, depending on the circumstances.
Civilians, soldiers and police were enlisted to help with the cull. Psychological counselling was offered to those affected by having to kill so many animals.
Four percent of the cow herd and 20 percent of the hog herd were killed. Pork prices have doubled, which prompted the government to eliminate the 22 percent tariff.
However, duties continue on imported beef.
A mass vaccination program started in December and should be completed by the first part of February. Vaccine antigens had to be borrowed from Europe and the North American foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank.
Government agencies have been working together to enforce movement control and start a public education campaign.
“The most important part of the control is public communication because people who are not involved in agriculture, they do not understand what FMD means,” Heo said.
The public was asked not to visit farms.
All abattoirs in infected areas were closed and all 85 livestock markets in the area shut down.
Vehicles and drivers are disinfected in the control areas. Disinfectant mats for people to walk through are found at bus and train stations, airports and sea ports.
The killed animals have been buried in landfills, which the environment department is monitoring for leaks into the water supply.
Full compensation has been paid to farmers whose animals were killed, as well as payments to abattoirs and livestock markets forced to close.
Living expenses for three to six months are offered to those whose businesses were closed and to farm families where livestock was destroyed.
Restocking funds are also available. The public has questioned whether the meat is fit to eat. “Some people are seeing the television and they worry they will get sick so we have advertisements saying meat safety is good as long as the meat is inspected by the vet,” Heo said.
