Banjarmasin Expects Sacrificial Cattle Supply From NTB And NTT

BANJARMASIN - The Banjarmasin City Government, South Kalimantan through the local Food Security, Agriculture and Fisheries Service hopes that the supply of sacrificial cattle from West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) for Eid al-Adha 1443 Hijriah.

Head of the Banjarmasin City Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Security Agency, M Makhmud, said that with the case of mouth and nail disease for livestock, especially cattle, the readiness of the stock of sacrificial cattle for Eid al-Adha was disrupted.

The case of mouth and hoof disease in cattle which was found initially in East Java, he said, had a major impact on the supply of cattle to areas in South Kalimantan, including the city of Banjarmasin, where demand for fresh meat was quite high.

The reason is, said Makhmud, the need for fresh beef at the Banjarmasin City Slaughterhouse (RPH) is around 30-40 percent from East Java, especially Madura cattle.

This also, he continued, continues every year to the great need for sacrificial cows on Eid al-Adha.

Meanwhile, for an undetermined time, said Makhmud, East Java has stopped cattle exports to areas outside Java, including to the island of Kalimantan.

On the other hand, the South Kalimantan area temporarily did not enter cattle from East Java, because of the horrendous case of a contagious mouth and nail disease.

"East Java is under lockdown, no cows can leave East Java," he said, as quoted by Antara, Thursday, May 19.

"Therefore, it is hoped that we can still receive shipments from the NTB, NTT and local cattle from Tanah Laut Regency and Barito Kuala Regency whose cattle and goats are healthy from mouth and nail diseases," said Makhmud.

Meanwhile, he said, almost a hundred cows were available and there were 75 additional cows from NTT.

There are also an additional 38 local cattle from Barito Kuala and as many as 5 cows from Tanah Laut Regency, so far the existing stock is around 200 heads.

"But every night we cut between 15-25 fresh meat for public consumption, so we don't have stock for Eid al-Adha yet," he said.

Usually, a month before Eid al-Adha, cows for sacrifice come from outside the region with an estimated need of more than 1,500 heads in Banjarmasin City.