• The Department of Agriculture issued a temporary ban on live cattle and buffalo imports from Japan due to concerns over Lumpy Skin Disease
• Japanese authorities reported an LSD outbreak in Maebaru, Fukuoka, to the World Organization for Animal Health, resulting in the temporary ban
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has issued a temporary ban on live cattle and buffalo imports from Japan due to concerns over Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), the agency said in a statement.
The directive is detailed in Memorandum Order No. 57, signed December 17 by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. It was issued following reports of an LSD outbreak in Maebaru, Fukuoka, as confirmed by Japanese authorities to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). The order took immediate effect and will be in force until revoked in writing.
The DA said the ban aims to prevent entry of the LSD virus, which poses a significant threat to the health and productivity of the Philippine cattle and buffalo population.
LSD is a viral disease characterized by skin nodules, fever, and other symptoms. It can temporarily lower milk production, cause sterility in bulls, damage hides, and even lead to death in severe cases.
Under the order, the importation of live bovines, buffaloes, semen, and embryos from Japan is strictly prohibited. However, certain products are exempted from the restriction, provided they meet stringent safety standards. These include skeletal muscle meat, casings, gelatine, collagen, tallow hooves, and horns, which are classified as “safe commodities.”
Milk and milk products may also be imported if accompanied by an international veterinary certificate confirming pasteurization or equivalent control measures.
The ban does not extend to certain by-products, including meal and flour derived from blood or meat other than skeletal muscle or bones from bovines and water buffaloes. Additionally, hides of bovines and water buffaloes remain eligible for importation, provided they meet stringent processing requirements.
These include undergoing ante- and post-mortem inspections, being dry- or wet-salted for at least 14 days before dispatch, and further treatment with salt and two percent sodium carbonate for seven days. The hides must also be dried for a minimum of 42 days with all necessary precautions implemented to ensure safety.
Other bovine and water buffalo products may still be imported, provided they are processed in a manner that effectively eliminates the LSD virus and safeguards against contamination.
