Public told to buy only certified livestock

JAKARTA (JP): The head of the Jakarta Husbandry office, Edi Setiarto, called on the public on Sunday to make sure that the cows and goats to be sacrificed in celebration of the March 5 Idul Adha Islamic Day of Sacrifice are certified.

He said certificates of health for livestock were issued by husbandry offices to signify that cows, goats, sheep and oxen on sale were free from contagious diseases, including the deadly anthrax disease.

Edi said his office had checked cattle ready for sale at markets in Tanah Abang, Mampang, Cakung and Pulogadung subdistricts and would inspect livestock to be slaughtered on Idul Adha before and after killing.

"There have been no indications of disease in any of the livestock since the West Java administration supplied vaccination for animals being sent to Jakarta," he was quoted by Antara during an interview.

He further said that hundreds of his employees were cooperating with the Veterinary Medicine Department of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) and would be deployed to help the committees observe Idul Adha livestock to be slaughtered.

"If our men have yet to appear on D-day, please contact the mayoralty husbandry office," he said.

The measures are being taken to allay fears of the spread of anthrax, which is caused by the Bacillus anthracis bacterium. At least 20 people were infected with the disease in an outbreak in Hambalang village, Bogor, West Java, last month.

The disease is spread through direct skin contact, consumption of infected animals or anthrax-contaminated air.

Anthax-contaminated meat can be identified by blackened blood similar to tar. The spleen of an infected animal is also swollen. The meat has a bad odor and will spoil rapidly, Edi explained. (bby)