Friday, August 28, 2015

Illegal veterinary drug ring tracked down in Vietnam

Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development says prohibited substances have been found in animal feed and veterinary medicine sold in some of the country’s southern regions.
Beta-agonist, a class of non-hormonal compounds fed to cattle to make them gain lean weight, was found in samples taken at slaughterhouses in several districts of Ho Chi Minh City.
Pigs also tested positive for prohibited substances in several districts. Of 222 samples from pigs in eight slaughterhouses, 31 were positive for prohibited substances. Of those 31, 22 came from pigs in Dong Nai.
Officials say the inspections traced the production, trade and use of the illegal substances to a trading ring selling salbutamol to the breeding sector. Dozens of workers at a company in Ho Chi Minh City were found producing illegal veterinary medicine in large volumes. The company did not have a certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to produce veterinary medicine.
In May, Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said it wanted to cut the time and cost of animal feed inspections by half. Storage fees at ports during quarantine are one of the biggest issues facing businesses. Raw materials imported for animal feed production must be quarantined and undergo quality inspection. Plant quarantine procedures and quality inspection can take up to 10 days. Some in the industry suggested changes in the rules that require that every order be inspected.

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