Hundreds Of Buffaloes In OKI South Sumatra Died Suddenly Suspected Of Infecting Se Virus

The Plantation and Livestock Office of Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) Regency, South Sumatra said hundreds of buffalo died suddenly because they were infected with septiceimia epizootica (SE). (ANTARA/HO-O OKI Regency Government)

PALEMBANG - Department of Plantation and Livestock of Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) Regency, South Sumatra said hundreds of buffalo in the area died suddenly suspected of contracting the septiceimia virus epizootica (SE).

Head of the OIC Plantation and Livestock Service, Dedy Kurniawan, said that until April 13, 2024, the number of dead buffalo had suddenly reached 431.

"After laboratory testing on suspected poisoning at the Lampung Veterinary Center, the results were negative. But based on physical and clinical examinations, it showed symptoms of septiceimia epizootica," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, April 16.

Dedy explained that his party had taken concrete steps since receiving reports from the public by burying buffalo carcasses, mass disinfection of buffalo cages, simultaneous treatment, and vaccination.

Regarding the death of a post-vaccination buffalo, he said it could happen because livestock had already contracted the SE virus, but looked healthy and did not show any symptoms of illness.

According to him, the spread of the virus was due to the late buried buffalo carcass, the sick slaughter of livestock around the cage location, the transfer of livestock from infected areas to sterile areas, as well as intense buffalo sales traffic.

Therefore, Dedy appealed to farmers to continue to vaccinate their livestock because there are no side effects after vaccination, as well as take mitigation measures so that the disease does not infect other livestock.

"Mitigation efforts include maximizing the cleanliness of the cage, maintaining feed, providing multivitamins and the like to increase livestock resistance data," he said.