At First 12 Cows Were Exposed To Nail And Mouth Disease In The Field, Then It Became 32 Cows

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PADANG - The Padang City Government is currently intensively handling 32 cattle infected with foot and mouth disease located in one of the cages in Lubuk Begalung District.

"Currently, out of the 32 cows being handled, they have been given vitamins, their condition is getting better and they are still being monitored," said Head of the Padang Agriculture Service, Syahrial Kamat, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, May 25.

The chronology of the exposure of 32 cows in Lubuk Begalung started with the arrival of one cow from the Muara Panas cattle market, Solok Regency and three from Medan.

"It turned out that the cows imported from outside after being examined had positive laboratory results with mouth and hoof disease and transmitted it to other cows in the same pen area," he said.

According to him, initially 12 were exposed and eventually infected the cows in the area, bringing the total to 32.

Currently, the condition of the cow has continued to improve and the severe condition is being isolated.

"If it is based on the observation that the condition of the cow deteriorates, a forced slaughter will be carried out," he said.

It takes about four to six months for the cow to heal completely.

Syahrial explained that the history of oral and nail diseases in animals began during the Dutch colonial era when cows from the Netherlands entered the country with the aim of increasing the livestock population in the country, especially dairy cows to meet their milk needs.

It turned out that the cattle brought in the Netherlands came in and continued to be handled until it ended in 1983.

Then in 2022 it re-emerged in East Java, Aceh and North Sumatra.

This disease quickly spreads through the air and direct contact, including through food and drink.

"Initially there were none in Padang, but because there were cows from outside, some were exposed," he said.

The characteristics of cows affected by mouth and hoof disease are blisters and bruises in the mouth and nail area, high body temperature, lazy animals to move, lazy to eat and finally because it has dropped it can cause death.

To anticipate further it tightens and supervises cattle that enter the city of Padang.

"Including socialization to traders to recognize the symptoms of cows affected by nail and mouth disease," he said.