180 Cows In 21 Lamongan District Reportedly Infected With FMD

Head of the Livestock and Animal Health Service of Shofiah Nurhayati Regency and his staff during a Cattle examination at the animal market in Tikung District, Lamongan Regency, East Java. (ANTARA/Alimun Khakim)

LAMONGAN - Head of the Livestock and Animal Health Service of Lamongan Regency, Shofiah Nurhayati, stated that as of early January 2025, 180 cows in the area were infected with mouth and nail disease (PMK).

"Until now, there are 180 suspected PMK cows spread across 21 sub-districts. Meanwhile, 15 of them died," he said after examining cows at the animal market, Tikung District, Lamongan Regency, East Java, Antara, Sunday, January 5.

According to Shofiah, the disease that attacks cattle is relatively fast. Where, within one month it has spread to 21 sub-districts from 27 sub-districts in the region.

"The spread of this deadly disease is more massive during the rainy season. One of the spread of disease can be through buying and selling transactions in the animal market," he said.

To minimize the spread of PMK, he continued, officers from the local office carried out intense examinations of cattle in a number of animal markets.

"During the examination, officers found three suspected PMK cows with the characteristics of mucus and sariawan in the lower mouth," he explained.

He added, in addition to conducting intense examinations, the key to tackling PMK disease is cooperation between farmers, traders and related agencies.

This cooperation, he continued, is to provide information to officers if they find livestock experiencing PMK symptoms. Therefore, his party appealed to cattle breeders to immediately report any symptoms or signs of the PMK outbreak.

"Then we will treat and monitor the extent of livestock development after treatment," he added.

He also asked cattle breeders to immediately vaccinate their livestock to prevent PMK and increase immunity and immunity to livestock.