On April 14, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien chaired a meeting with the Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, the Department of Science and Technology under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and relevant units to assess risks and develop a response plan for the SAT-1 strain of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
This variant has not been previously documented in circulation within Vietnam. It exhibits a high level of virulence, similar to that of aggressive mutant strains of serotype O. The mortality rates among adult cattle and buffalo range from 5 percent to 10 percent, with the potential to escalate to 20 percent to 50 percent depending on herd conditions.
In the case of pigs, the effects are even more pronounced, with adult mortality rates estimated at approximately 20 percent and piglet mortality rates at 50 percent to 80 percent. If the SAT-1 strain enters Vietnam, it could result in catastrophic repercussions for the nation’s livestock population, which includes over 10 million cattle and more than 31 million pigs.
Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien instructed laboratories to urgently finalize testing methods and prepare diagnostic kits for deployment at border gates, frontier areas, and high-risk zones to enable early detection and timely response.
Several experts proposed the use of a monovalent vaccine targeting the SAT-1 strain. The Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health has been tasked with initiating procedures for precautionary imports while coordinating research into domestic vaccine production. The Ministry also called on relevant authorities to tighten border controls and prevent the entry of livestock of unknown origin into Vietnam.
On the same day in Hanoi, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment held a separate meeting with livestock enterprises to discuss the management of ractopamine, a leanness-enhancing additive used in animal feed. Ractopamine is administered to pigs in the final stage before slaughter to increase lean meat yield and reduce fat accumulation. It is not a growth hormone; it metabolizes quickly and is eliminated from the animal’s body after a period of withdrawal.
Under regulations issued by the Ministry of Health in Circular 24/2013/TT-BYT, Vietnam permits ractopamine residues in meat within limits set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. However, in the livestock sector, the substance has not been included in the list of approved feed ingredients, resulting in regulatory inconsistencies.
At the meeting, the Ministry requested a comprehensive review of scientific evidence, domestic trial results, and current regulations to determine whether ractopamine should be permitted. If approved, specific conditions, dosage levels, and withdrawal periods would need to be clearly defined. The Ministry also proposed aligning management practices with international standards while ensuring strict control of residue levels in meat.
