Drug Stock Runs Out, Padang Pariaman Farmers Use Traditional Herbs To Treat Cattle Affected By FMD

Farmers in Padang Pariaman Regency, West Sumatra are giving traditional medicine to cattle. (ANTARA/HO-Doc Personal Banner)

PADANG PARIAMAN - The district government of Padang Pariaman, West Sumatra, revealed that many farmers in the area use traditional medicine to treat cattle infected with Mouth and Nail Disease (FMD) due to the limited medicines available in the area.

"Actually, before the PMK outbreak we had stock of drugs for livestock diseases, after there were cases the drugs were already used and they were free. However, due to the high number of PMK cases in Padang Pariaman, the drugs had run out," said Acting Head of the Padang Pariaman Animal Husbandry and Health Service, Zulkhailisman. in Parik Malintang reported by ANTARA, Thursday, July 21.

His party received information on drug procurement from the provincial government through state budget funds as much as 30 thousand doses, but it has not been distributed and it does not yet know what the quota is for that area.

Because there is no cure for the disease according to the symptoms experienced by livestock in FMD, many farmers in the area use traditional medicine, especially to increase stamina and reduce fever.

"They give eggs, palm sugar water and other types to increase stamina and body immunity," he said.

In addition, he continued, farmers in the area also provide concoction of fever-reducing drugs. According to him, these traditional medicines can be given to livestock as long as the ingredients do not harm the livestock's body.

"After being given by the breeder, many cattle recovered, or there were no reports of significant livestock deaths due to PMK in Padang Pariaman," he said.

As of Wednesday (20/7) cattle infected with FMD in the area reached 1,966 heads, consisting of 1,650 cows, 314 buffaloes and two goats. 339 of the cattle infected with FMD have recovered, while nine of them were forcibly slaughtered and eight died.

Meanwhile, a cattle farmer in Sungai Geringging Zainidar said that although his cattle were not infected with FMD, he still gave traditional medicine to increase his cattle's immunity as an anticipatory measure.

He was forced to give traditional medicine because there was no medicine and his village was not a priority area to get the PMK vaccine because there were already other livestock in the area that were infected with FMD.

"I had to work extra, I had to crush the ingredients and boil them. But it's okay as long as my cattle are healthy," continued Zainidar.