Anticipating PMK, Livestock Entering Bengkulu Must Be Accompanied By A Health Certificate

Head of the Bengkulu Province Livestock and Animal Health Service Muhammad Syarkawi/Photo: Antara

BENGKULU - The Livestock and Animal Health Service of Bengkulu Province said that it is currently enacting a regulation that every cattle that comes from outside the area must be accompanied by a health certificate to prevent the transmission of mouth and nail disease (PMK).

"The requirement for a healthy livestock certificate is to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease (PMK) that attacks branch-legged animals such as cattle, goats, sheep and others," said Head of the Bengkulu Province Livestock and Animal Health Service, Muhammad Syarkawi, in Bengkulu, Friday, May 20. , he said, areas that supply animals such as cattle to the Bengkulu Province such as Lampung, Aceh, West Sumatra and others have been infected with FMD.

"We put restrictions on importing cattle into Bengkulu Province, one of which is that animals must have a health certificate," he said.

Therefore, his party maintains security in border areas such as in Kaur Regency which borders Lampung Province, Rejang Lebong Regency which borders South Sumatra Province and Mukomuko Regency which borders West Sumatra Province.

Currently, the PMK case has not been found in Bengkulu Province and to be aware of this, he asked the breeders to maintain the health of their animals.

"In addition, ahead of Eid al-Adha, we have prepared a stock of sacrificial animals long before the PMK," he said.

To avoid the circulation of PMK, his party asked the Livestock Service Office at the district and city levels to carry out regular monitoring and inspection of livestock belonging to the community without exception.

Then, also conduct socialization to farmers such as maintaining the condition of their livestock because the virus is easy to attack if the condition of the livestock is weak and limits the process of buying and selling animals or livestock meat.

He added that it is an acute viral infectious disease and is highly contagious in even/slit-toed animals.

The spread of the FMD virus is very fast because it is through the air, so if one animal in one area is positive for FMD, the other animals will be infected with the same virus.

Animals infected with FMD have symptoms such as the formation of vesicles/blisters and erosions in the mouth, tongue, gums, nostrils, nipples, and on the skin around the nails.

However, the people of Bengkulu Province are asked not to worry about the spread of PMK because the disease does not attack or is dangerous to humans, said Muhammad Syarkawi.