OFFICIALS in Kandal province on Saturday torched the carcasses of 49 pigs imported from Vietnam after four pigs were found to be infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, more commonly known as blue-ear.

Has Piseth, deputy director of the Department of Animal Health and Production at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said yesterday that the pigs were confiscated by Muk Kampoul district police on September 22 from a trader who had imported the pigs from Vietnam earlier that day.

Several of the pigs died shorly thereafter, prompting suspicions that they had blue-ear, he said.

“We tested four of the 49 pigs and found that they had blue-ear. Therefore, we ordered officials and the police to burn the bodies to prevent the disease from infecting other pigs,” he said.

“The pigs were electrocuted until they fainted, beaten to death, put in a big hole, and then sprayed with disinfectant before they were burned.”

On August 4, Prime Minister Hun Sen banned the importation of pigs from Vietnam and Thailand in order to prevent the spread of blue-ear.

In the wake of a reported outbreak, thousands of pigs died or were killed by officials in at least seven provinces.