AlaskaDenise
In Memoriam
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20061011.G01&irec=0
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar
The Gowa regency administration has begun vaccinating cattle for anthrax in two infected areas in the region and is requiring all farmers to have beasts tested and certified free of the disease before they are killed in designated slaughterhouses.
Gowa animal husbandry office deputy head Muhammad Arfah Sulong told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday the regency had issued a circular prohibiting farmers from moving cattle from known anthrax areas and killing them outside official slaughterhouses.
"This measure is to prevent the spread of anthrax in Gowa," Arfah said.
Anthrax is an acute infectious disease that typically affects cattle, but can be transmitted to humans through the handling or consumption of infected meat that is undercooked. When anthrax spores are inhaled, the disease is usually fatal.
Currently, three villages in two Gowa districts have been declared infected zones. They are Maccinibaji and Pabbentengan in Bajeng district and Bategulung village in Bontonompo.
Arfah said the office had begun vaccinating cattle in Maccinibaji and Pabbentengan but was not immunizing beasts across the entire region -- the standard procedure -- because it did not have enough staff to do the job.
"In the meantime, we have prioritized the vaccination to cattle in areas where there have been positive cases of anthrax since we have limited manpower. We only have six officials ... so in a day they can only vaccinate around 200 cattle," Arfah said.
Vaccinations in Bategulung and two other villages, Manjapai and Sengka in Bontonompo district, will not begin until after the results are received from tests conducted on blood samples of 96 cattle taken Sunday, he said.
The Gowa health office has yet to test blood samples taken from residents in the affected areas. No people have been reported sick with the disease.
The office will work to completely vaccinate cattle in the regency in stages, Arfah said.
There are between 60,000 and 80,000 cattle across the regency.
Maccinibaji villagers said the outbreak had destroyed their business during Ramadhan, normally a boom time for farmers.
"The anthrax cases are really costing us. Usually, we have plenty of buyers starting from mid-Ramadhan until Idul Fitri but now, there are none," Daeng said.
However, he said farmers understood people's concerns and promised they would comply with the government's restrictions.
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Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar
The Gowa regency administration has begun vaccinating cattle for anthrax in two infected areas in the region and is requiring all farmers to have beasts tested and certified free of the disease before they are killed in designated slaughterhouses.
Gowa animal husbandry office deputy head Muhammad Arfah Sulong told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday the regency had issued a circular prohibiting farmers from moving cattle from known anthrax areas and killing them outside official slaughterhouses.
"This measure is to prevent the spread of anthrax in Gowa," Arfah said.
Anthrax is an acute infectious disease that typically affects cattle, but can be transmitted to humans through the handling or consumption of infected meat that is undercooked. When anthrax spores are inhaled, the disease is usually fatal.
Currently, three villages in two Gowa districts have been declared infected zones. They are Maccinibaji and Pabbentengan in Bajeng district and Bategulung village in Bontonompo.
Arfah said the office had begun vaccinating cattle in Maccinibaji and Pabbentengan but was not immunizing beasts across the entire region -- the standard procedure -- because it did not have enough staff to do the job.
"In the meantime, we have prioritized the vaccination to cattle in areas where there have been positive cases of anthrax since we have limited manpower. We only have six officials ... so in a day they can only vaccinate around 200 cattle," Arfah said.
Vaccinations in Bategulung and two other villages, Manjapai and Sengka in Bontonompo district, will not begin until after the results are received from tests conducted on blood samples of 96 cattle taken Sunday, he said.
The Gowa health office has yet to test blood samples taken from residents in the affected areas. No people have been reported sick with the disease.
The office will work to completely vaccinate cattle in the regency in stages, Arfah said.
There are between 60,000 and 80,000 cattle across the regency.
Maccinibaji villagers said the outbreak had destroyed their business during Ramadhan, normally a boom time for farmers.
"The anthrax cases are really costing us. Usually, we have plenty of buyers starting from mid-Ramadhan until Idul Fitri but now, there are none," Daeng said.
However, he said farmers understood people's concerns and promised they would comply with the government's restrictions.
.