The Application And Analysis Of Zoning And Compartmentalization In China

Zoning and compartmentalisation are two kinds of important animal health measures for countries to control animal disease, protect animal health status and facilitate the international trades in animals and animal products. So far, it is estimated that around70%countries worldwide have already adopted and implemented the two concepts to prevent and control animal diseases. The concept of zoning has been applied in China since1998, and certain progress has been made, including the establishment of two foot and mouth disease free zones where vaccination is practised in Hainan province and Yongji county, Jilin province respectively, as well as the specific equine disease free zone in Conghua city, Guangdong municipality. However, the implementation of zoning and compartmentalisation in China is still at initial stage in general. For the systematic research in the concept still remains limited, the theoretical systems suitable to China’s actual conditions on zoning and compartmentalisation have not been established up to now. In addition, it is relatively slowpaced to push forward the implementation of the two concepts on the whole for the complicated animal disease situation in China. With the objectives of prevention and control of some major animal diseases specified in the National Medium and Long-Term Planning for Animal Disease Control (2012-2020) as its top priorities, along with OIE’s standards on the concepts as its key guidelines, this study intensively analyzed some practices of application of zoning and compartmentalisation both in some foreign countries and in China, and made an analysis of the feasibility for the implementation of the two concepts in our country in combination with China’s current situation of animal disease control and relevant influencing factors, which laid an important theoretical foundation for speeding up the application of zoning and compartmentalisation in China.Based on the in-depth analysis of OIE’s principles, requirements and their evolvements with respect to zoning and compartmentalisation, we summarized the advantages and disadvantages, scopes of application, technical requirements of the two different modes of zoning and compartmentalisation. Meanwhile, the cases of some countries including China using zoning or compartmentalisation to control or eradicate animal diseases were analyzed the merits and demerits of the two modes in practical application were further studied.Considering the current development status of animal production sector, as well as the situation, existing problems and influencing factors of disease prevention and control in China, the study analyzed the existing problems in the implementation of the two modes, and elaborated that the application of zoning and compartmentalisation is an effective approach for prevention and control of animal diseases. Moreover, it was also clarified that the conditions for the full implementation of zoning and compartmentalisation has existed in China, and it is feasible foe China to promote the application of the two modes simultaneously.On the basis of analyzing the feasibility of application of zoning and compartmentalisation in China, the study presented the implementing principles, type classification, disease selection and measures taken of the two modes respectively. It was proposed that it is necessary to make overall plans and take all factors into consideration, and to adjust measures to local conditions when implementing the measures of zoning and compartmentalisation. It was summarized that the mode of zoning is suitable for the regions with preferable foundations of animal disease prevention and control, better natural geographical barriers and higher administrative efficiency, and the mode of compartmentalisation is appropriate for the enterprises with good animal raising conditions and higher biosecurity levels. For the application of compartmentalisation, the principles of national administration, local self-building, enterprise implementation, evaluation and recognition were put forward. It was suggested to promote the implementation of compartmentalisation in our country. In addition to accelerating the construction of individual breeding animal compartments, the study also proposed to extend the concept of compartmentalisation to the field of control of veterinary drugs and other inputs, which enriches the contents of compartment construction, and expands the advantages of compartments from prevention and control of animal diseases to quality safety assurance of animal products.