Ms. Nguyen Thu Thuy, deputy director of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, stated this during the regular monthly press information meeting in May held on the morning of June 3.
Tuoi Tre Online posed the question: According to information from the slaughter facility in Hau Giang, it was confirmed that the image is correct and the diseased pork with skin lesions has been destroyed. However, the image shows the pork stamped with “K.S.G.M”. Is such stamping in accordance with the regulations?
Answering this question, Ms. Thuy affirmed that the image of the pig after slaughter that is diseased like that, but the veterinary staff at the slaughterhouse stamped it like that is not correct.
Ms. Thuy added that according to the protocol from C.P Company in Hau Giang sent up, the pigs with skin inflammation and processed through heat treatment for repurposing purposes should be stamped with a circle (stamp “Processing V.S.T.Y”).
According to the image base, it is determined that the pigs are diseased, must be processed for destruction, and must be stamped with a triangle “DESTROY”.
“The stamp on the pork carcass at the slaughterhouse in Hau Giang is incorrect because the square stamp is for slaughter control – meaning it is approved for market release” – Ms. Thuy said.
Discussing this issue further, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien demanded clarification on who stamped that.
“I assure reporters that we will handle this thoroughly, never let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch.
If not resolved, the ministry will request the Environment Police Department (C05) under the Ministry of Public Security to step in and investigate.
Our goal is to comply with the law, ensuring not to discharge pollutants into the environment, and that the slaughter of sick pigs spreading disease is unacceptable,” Mr. Tien asserted.
Speaking with Tuổi Trẻ Online on June 2nd about the pig slaughter control procedure, Ms. Huynh Thi Thanh Binh – head of the community veterinary department under the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) – stated that according to Circular 09/2016/TT-BNNPTNT dated 1-6-2016 on slaughter control and veterinary hygiene, after slaughtering pigs, veterinary staff must examine the head, organs, and carcass to detect any abnormal or pathological signs if present.
In case of discovering signs of disease in meat, organs, they must be marked, separated, and brought to the processing area for final inspection before making a handling decision. Mark with “Processed V.S.T.Y” (short for veterinary sanitation treatment) or “Destroy” stamp after making a decision to handle with animal products that do not meet veterinary hygiene requirements.
“In case pigs after slaughter are found with skin pathology (severe dermatitis), the veterinary staff must determine whether it is a disease pathology or caused by the transportation process.”
If it is pathology, the disease must be identified to handle according to the guidance for that disease. If it cannot be diagnosed visually, samples must be taken for testing. Absolutely no slaughter for food is allowed before test results are available.
In case the cause is definitely due to transportation, it is allowed to change the purpose to livestock feed. In the veterinary sanitation handling record, the veterinary staff must confirm according to Form No. 05, Appendix 2 of Circular No. 09″ – Ms. Binh said.
