UNAIR NEWS – Foot and Mouth Disease (PMK), which has attacked the East Java region since the beginning of May 2022, has affected “Gunungrejo Makmur” Beef Cattle Group in Kedungpring sub-district, Lamongan. It was recorded that out of 256 cows, 55 cows had to be slaughtered and six of them died due to PMK.

Because of this disaster, efforts to breed cows or breeding that have been made by professors of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FKH) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) Prof. Dr. Dewa Ketut Meles drh MS and the team were also hampered.

Last Friday, July 29, 2022, Prof Meles with a team consisting of Prof. Dr. Imam Mustofa drh M Kes, Prof Masud Hariadi drh PhD, Prof Dr Wurlina drh MS, and two FKH UNAIR students visited farmers in Kedungpring, Lamongan. It was a part of community service activities for the Regional Superior Product Development Program (PPPUD).

“The beef cattle population in Kedungpring District was around 4,800 before the disease outbreak. So far, the number has greatly reduced. In addition to the sacrificial rituals carried out during Eid al-Adha 1443 H, the breeders have not dared to add more cattle due to PKM transmission,“ explained Prof. Meles.

UNAIR Faculty of Veterinary Medicine lecturer explained that the breeding of Simmental crossbreeds had been carried out in the last few years with the Gunungrejo Makmur beef cattle breeders. During the PMK outbreak, insemination activities in cattle were still carried out using the semen sexing method. In addition, pregnancy checks on cows are also carried out according to the request of the breeders.

Regarding the transmission of PMK, Prof. Meles said that one measure can be taken by giving vaccines to healthy cattle, and sick cows are treated immediately to recover.

But unfortunately, Lamongan Regency, especially Kedungpring Sub-district is designated as a red zone for PMK. Cattle are not allowed in and out of the zone.

Furthermore, he continued, the stock of vaccines is still very limited. At the earliest, it will be given in mid-August 2022.

“The red zone’s healthy livestock has not got vaccination. It causes the livestock population to decrease drastically. For this reason, we hope that vaccination can be immediately realized so that livestock will return to health,” he concluded. (*)

Author: Tim Pengmas

Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh