Gyeonggi-do, Nationwide First to Promote Zoonotic Disease Prevention Goat Health Screening

Gyeonggi-do Northern Animal Hygiene Testing Center Diagnoses 7 Zoonotic Livestock Diseases Transmitted Between Humans and Goats
Pilot Project with 100 Goats in 20 Farms This Year → Plans to Expand Regular Project Next Year

Number of Goats and Sheep Raised by Province and Number of Human Q Fever Reports per 100,000 People in the Past 5 Years.

The Northern Gyeonggi Animal Hygiene Testing Laboratory announced on the 29th that it will conduct disease inspections on goat farms to prevent the spread of zoonotic infectious diseases and ensure the safety of food distribution.

Unlike cattle, goats are not subject to mandatory pre-inspection systems for major zoonotic infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and brucellosis before shipment between farms or to livestock markets, so the province explained that special attention is needed to secure food safety.

With the recent rapid growth of the domestic goat industry, the number of goats raised has exceeded 500,000 nationwide as of August according to the National Animal Disease Integrated System, and the import of goat meat is also rapidly increasing. Imports of foreign goat meat increased by 86%, from 1,883 tons in 2021 to 3,322 tons in 2022, and 6,179 tons in 2023.

Nevertheless, the disease diagnosis system for goats is insufficient, posing a risk of transmitting bacterial diseases (such as Q fever, tuberculosis, brucellosis) that cause fever, headache, muscle pain, and pulmonary tuberculosis in humans.

Q fever was found to have a high prevalence among goat and sheep farm workers according to a study conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s Infectious Disease Policy in 2020, which surveyed Q fever seroprevalence among goat farm workers.

Accordingly, Gyeonggi Province has consulted with local governments in northern Gyeonggi, the Gyeonggi Livestock Hygiene and Quarantine Support Headquarters, and regional public veterinarians on the procedures for promoting goat inspections. The inspection items include seven diseases: three zoonotic infectious diseases (Q fever, tuberculosis, brucellosis) that can be transmitted between animals and humans causing fever, headache, muscle pain, and pulmonary tuberculosis; two consumptive diseases causing diarrhea in cattle (bovine viral diarrhea, cryptosporidiosis); and two overseas disaster-level diseases classified as Category 1 livestock infectious diseases (foot-and-mouth disease, pseudo-rinderpest).

In line with the goat disease diagnosis system promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ livestock quarantine project, 100 goats from 20 farms will be tested starting in November, and based on the results, the project will be expanded into a regular program by 2025 for proactive inspections.

Jung Bong-su, director of the Northern Gyeonggi Animal Hygiene Testing Laboratory, said, “Goats still lack systematic disease management compared to other livestock species despite the industry’s growth potential,” adding, “Through this goat disease inspection, we will make every effort to further raise the level of disease hygiene in the livestock industry, including securing food safety in distribution.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.