Hundreds Of Cows Infected With FMD In Cianjur

Officers and breeders in Cianjur, West Java, inspecting livestock/Photo: Antara

CIANJUR - The Department of Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Livestock (Dislutanak) of Cianjur, West Java, recorded that 143 cows on a number of farms in Cianjur were indicated to have Nail and Mouth Disease (FMD), four of which were confirmed to be infected based on the PCR test.

Head of Animal Health (Keswan) Dislutanak Cianjur, Ade Dadang in Cianjur Monday, June 6, said his party continues to coordinate with livestock owners and managers not to carry out activities including buying and selling livestock until it is declared that the infected cows are cured.

"We found 143 cows indicated for FMD, 60 of them were suspected, 79 were suspected and the remaining 4 had been declared infected after blood tests were carried out," he said, quoted by Antara.

The hundred more head of cattle indicated by FMD are found in six farms spread across Cilaku, Cianjur, Sukaresmi, and Mande sub-districts. Cows that are indicated to be undergoing treatment and care from officers, so that farmers are prohibited from removing their livestock, during the incubation period or 14 days.

He explained that the discovery of more than a hundred cows infected with FMD started from a farmer who bought cattle at Ingon-ingon Market, Ciwareng, Purwakarta Regency without conducting a strict health check.

"We questioned the livestock owners who stated that they bought livestock from Purwakarta and put them into the cattle pens they had previously. So that all livestock on the farm were infected with FMD, although only four have been confirmed," he said.

Although infected cows were found, his party noted that there were several cows that began to recover after being treated during the 14-day isolation period. His party is still making various efforts to handle the spread of FMD on cattle farms in a number of areas.