Free anthrax vaccines for Jakarta livestock<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The city administration has begun free
\nvaccination for all livestock in the capital, except for those on
\nsale for the Idul Adha Islamic Day of Sacrifice, an official said
\non Thursday.<\/p>\n
Hery Indiyanto, head of the Animal Disease Prevention and
\nEradication Unit at the City Animal Husbandry Agency, said the
\nvaccination program has been ongoing in all five mayoralties in
\nJakarta since Feb. 26, and is aimed at protecting the animals
\nfrom the disease.<\/p>\n
\"Vaccinated cattle or goats cannot be consumed because their
\nblood contains the anthrax bacteria, which is introduced by the
\nvaccine, for a period of 14 days,\" said Hery.<\/p>\n
\"That's why we didn't vaccinate the animals to be slaughtered
\non the holiday.\"<\/p>\n
Idul Adha falls on Monday. The holiday will be marked by
\nMuslims slaughtering cattle and goats, with the beef and meat
\nlater being distributed to the needy.<\/p>\n
Hery said the agency had provided 3,000 doses of vaccine, as
\nwell as preparing an additional 2,000 doses for emergencies.<\/p>\n
He admitted that he had no data on the number of livestock
\nbeing reared within the capital's boundaries.<\/p>\n
\"But I think the vaccines will be enough for now,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He added that provision had been made in the 2001 City Budget
\nfor the entire stock of the vaccine, which costs Rp 40,000 per
\nbottle.<\/p>\n
Each bottle contains 250 doses, with one dose being injected
\nper beast.<\/p>\n
The City Animal Husbandry Agency had reported earlier that the
\nit had prepared 45,000 goats and 3,000 cattle to meet the city's
\ndemand on Idul Adha.<\/p>\n
Hery admitted that this year's livestock sales in the capital
\nfor Idul Adha had declined following reports of an anthrax
\noutbreak.<\/p>\n
He gave as an example a butcher in Tanah Abang in Central
\nJakarta, who was only managing to sell one cow per day, down from
\nthree before the disease made the headlines.<\/p>\n
He confirmed that, so far, all cows, goats, sheep and oxen on
\nthe market in the capital were free from contagious diseases,
\nincluding anthrax.<\/p>\n
\"All the beasts on sale have been given health certificates
\nissued by the City Animal Husbandry Agency, claimed Hery.<\/p>\n
None of livestock being sold in the capital came from Bogor,
\nwhere the anthrax outbreak was reported late in January, he said.<\/p>\n
\"They were mostly brought in from Pemalang and Tegal, both in
\nCentral Java,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Over 20 residents of Hambalang village, Citeureup district in
\nBogor were found to be infected with anthrax in January, with two
\nof them eventually dying. Local health officials claimed not to
\nhave discovered anthrax symptoms in any of the livestock they
\nexamined following the outbreak.<\/p>\n
The disease is caused by Bacillus anthracis, a spore-forming
\nbacterium which can survive for 100 years in the ground and can
\nonly be destroyed through incineration. Livestock usually die
\nabout five days after being infected.<\/p>\n
Bogor regency has recorded nine anthrax outbreaks since 1965,
\nincluding outbreaks in 1968, 1971, 1974, 1979, 1982, 1985 and
\n1986. (04)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/free-anthrax-vaccines-for-jakarta-livestock-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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