Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Animal Hygiene Laboratory Conducts Joint Bovine Tuberculosis Inspections with Local Contract Veterinarians

The Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Animal Hygiene Laboratory announced on September 24 that it will conduct a joint public-private inspection for bovine tuberculosis, a zoonotic disease, to enable early detection and improve satisfaction among livestock farmers.

Dairy Cow Tuberculosis Inspection. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

The joint public-private inspection is conducted in collaboration with local contract veterinarians. This initiative was established to address the issue that inspections could not always be conducted at times convenient for farmers when relying solely on Gyeonggi Province’s official livestock quarantine personnel. The program has been in operation since 2002.

Local contract veterinarians have relatively flexible schedules for inspections and can provide additional disease management consulting, allowing for customized services tailored to each farm’s needs. As a result, satisfaction among livestock farmers is high.

This year, the Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Animal Hygiene Laboratory plans to complete joint public-private inspections for up to 38,000 out of 47,000 cattle targeted for tuberculosis control in northern Gyeonggi Province, with participation from 14 contract veterinarians across 9 cities and counties. This accounts for 80% of the total project volume and represents an increase of over 6,000 cases compared to last year’s 31,872 inspections.

Bovine tuberculosis is classified as a type 2 livestock infectious disease and is a zoonotic disease that can infect both cattle and humans. In cattle, it causes weakness and reduced milk production, while in humans, it can damage the lungs and intestines. Dairy farms undergo regular inspections at least once a year, and last year, there were cases reported at nine dairy farms (a total of 36 cows) in Gyeonggi Province.

Nam Younghee, Director of the Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Animal Hygiene Laboratory, stated, "When contract veterinarians visit farms, they will not only conduct bovine tuberculosis inspections but also provide disease monitoring, vaccination for other infectious diseases, and quarantine consulting as part of a comprehensive one-stop quarantine service. We will continue to expand joint inspections to further improve dairy farm satisfaction and inspection efficiency, and will do our utmost to eradicate zoonotic diseases."

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