By: Deka Prawira)*
The government continues to be wary of mouth and nail diseases that attack livestock in several areas. These efforts include exterminating dead animals, isolating infected animals, and strictly monitoring the entry and exit of animals.
Apart from being an agricultural country, Indonesia is also known as a livestock country, especially cattle and goats. Livestock continue to be kept to meet people’s consumption needs. Cows, goats, and other animals are fed and managed to stay healthy, so they can be sold at high prices or slaughtered and produce fresh, good quality meat.
However, the presence of foot and mouth disease in animals and livestock has made the government more vigilant so that it does not spread and spread throughout Indonesia. This disease can be seen from its characteristics, namely the animal’s mouth is blistered and there are lesions on its legs. The animals also lose weight drastically. Animals that can be affected by foot and mouth disease are cows, goats, sheep, pigs, and camels.
Do not let the disease of the mouth and nails spread so that the farmers lose big. The reason is that infected animals have to have their diseased tissue removed so they cannot be sold. Diseases originating from the A virus from the Picornaviridae family must be eradicated so that livestock return to health.
The Mayor of Bandung, Yana Mulyana, asked the police and related agencies to monitor the entrance of livestock. The Bandung City Government oversees the entry and distribution of livestock to prevent the transmission of mouth and nail diseases that can attack animals.
Mouth and hoof disease is indeed dangerous, therefore it is natural that the distribution of livestock is continuously monitored. Do not let livestock from areas where the animals are affected by this disease are even spread to other areas. Areas that have oral and nail diseases include Aceh Tamiang District and Kab. East Aceh, as well as Gresik, Lamongan, Sidoarjo, and Mojokerto.
The Bandung City Government is not the only local government that prohibits the arrival of livestock from areas suspected of mouth and nail disease. But also the Riau Islands, Jakarta, and Bangkalan Madura. This prohibition is very reasonable for fear that the spread of animals affected by this disease will infect cattle and other livestock.
The spread of the virus that carries oral and nail diseases is very fast, therefore it must be prevented so that it does not become more contagious. Do not let the animal is already sick and then forced to be slaughtered so as not to infect others. If that happens then the farmers will lose big. The government continues to remind the public to be careful and take good care of their livestock.
Moreover, Eid al-Adha will soon be approaching and there will be mass slaughter of goats, sheep and cows. Usually the livestock are also imported from other areas to meet the needs of the community who will be sacrificing. Don’t buy the wrong one and it turns out that the goat you bought has nail and mouth disease, because it is dangerous and can be contagious.
When there are already cows or goats that are indicated to have mouth and nail pain, they must immediately contact a veterinarian. Doctors will treat intensively and sick animals must be isolated so as not to infect others.
The government is wary of the spread of foot and mouth disease in cattle, goats, and other livestock. With these various concrete steps, the spread of FMD can be stopped immediately.
)* The author is a contributor to the Nusantara Reading Room