1. Monitoring and Prevention of Animal Diseases:
(1) The completion of disease monitoring and reporting system, information compilation and analyses system, as well as the detection and diagnosis system, and the application of electronic communication technology for real-time report of disease development so that the decision-makers are informed with detailed and current information.
(2) The establishment of emergency disease prevention models, with the focus on the newly invading or emergent pests and diseases of animals and plants, for the immediate eradication of pests and pathogens to protect the agricultural environment.
(3) The integration of animal disease prevention systems in Taiwan to effectively monitor diseases of livestocks, poultries, aquatic animals, pets, and wild animals.
2. Eradication of Classic Swine Fever (CSF) and Foot-and-Mouth Diseases (FMD):
With the assembly of inspection units in co-operation with the animal disease inspection and prevention divisions of the city and county governments, our division inspected the pig farms for the implementation of vaccination programs on CSF and FMD. As of the beginning of the year 2003, the vaccination ratios for CSF and FMD have surpassed 90% and the diseases have been effectively prevented. Our country has been officially declared as a “FMD free country where vaccination is practiced” on May 22, 2003.
3. Eradication of Low-Pathogenic Avian Influenza Diseases:
The first case of low-pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza virus in Taiwan was detected from a chicken farm located in Chang-Hua County on January 5, 2004. Although H5N2 AI virus is neither anolegislative animal disease nor a concern for pubic health, BAPHIQ still took the same precautions and swift actions as those for treating the highly pathogenic avian influenza diseases to prevent the H5N2 AI virus from mutating to highly pathogenic types. The Stamping-out policy as defined by the OIE Terrestrial Code was implemented to kill and destroy all the herds in the infected farms, and the poultry raising farms within 3 kilometers radius were continuously monitored for 6 months.
4. Disease Management of Other Economically important:
In collaboration with the animal disease prevention divisions of the district governments and the academic research groups with the focus on economically important contagious diseases of poultries, livestocks, and aquatic animals, we have assisted in the preventive measures, monitored the occurrences of the diseases, educated and trained the practitioners to promote the action of self-defense against diseases and proper reports of animal disease information.
5. Prevention of drug residuals in the livestock and poultry products:
To prevent the carry-over of drug residuals and to protect the ware fare of the consumers, BAPHIQ has granted special projects to district governments each year to enhance the education of the practitioners on the safe usage of agricultural chemicals. On-site inspections were also conducted in the farms regularly to prevent the existence of drug residuals. Random sampling and drug-residual assaying were performed in the slaughterhouses and meat markets to ensure the safety of the meat products. Unscheduled inspections on the dealings and usages of animal medicines were performed in the medicine manufactories, dealers, veterinary clinics, farmers, and feed manufactories. In addition, BAPHIQ has collaborated with Custom officials to inspect and crackdown the illegal drugs for animals in order to ensure the quality of veterinary medicines and to prevent the abusive usages of the medicines.
6. Development of veterinary medicines and vaccines:
BAPHIQ has completed the initial developments of the vaccine for infectious bronchitis virus Taiwan types, and oral micro-liposome encapsulated vaccine for Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. The technologies will be transferred to the commercial manufacturers in an Industry-Academy Cooperation style after the completion of field safety tests and immunization efficacy evaluations. In addition, the registration applications for animal medicine assays will be filed after the technology transfers to domestic manufacturers with Industry-Academy cooperation for the following vaccines: commercial ND-IB-IBD-EDS-IC-MG-MS oil emulsion vaccine for chickens, improved Actinobacillus pleuropneumonia vaccine expressed in eukaryotic system, defective gE gene of Pseudorabies virus in pigs, recombinant divalent subunit vaccine for atrophic rhinitis (Pasteurella multocida toxin, PMT).
