The number of birds and animals that fell prey to major epidemics this year dropped to a three-year low because of government measures to check disease outbreaks, a senior Agriculture Ministry official said yesterday.

The number of birds infected with avian flu dropped by 60 percent, with 9,000 birds falling prey to the virus, said Li Jinxiang, director of the ministry's veterinary bureau.

A total of only 7,648 pigs fell prey to the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, a drop by 97 percent compared to last year.