Yogyakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — The Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) government has recorded 948 cases of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) among livestock in the region since December 2024.
Syam Arjayanti, Head of the DIY Agriculture and Food Security Agency, explained that the cases are spread across four districts and were reported through the National Animal Health Information System (iSIKHNAS).
According to iSIKHNAS data, Gunungkidul district reported the highest number of infections, with 672 cattle affected, 30 fatalities, and 27 animals culled. Bantul followed with 161 cases, including 25 fatalities and two animals culled. Sleman recorded 103 cases, with eight deaths and four animals recovering. Kulon Progo reported 11 cases, with one animal fatality.
“Yogyakarta City remains free of cases. Most FMD infections affected cattle, with only one goat case recorded in Kulon Progo,” Syam said on Tuesday, January 7, as reported by CNN Indonesia.
Syam revealed that the outbreak began about a month ago, likely due to infected livestock imported from other regions and declining farmer awareness about vaccinating their animals following the 2022 FMD outbreak.
FMD Mitigation
According to Tempo, the Yogyakarta government has implemented stricter monitoring of livestock transportation at regional borders and animal markets in response to FMD outbreak in the region. Livestock showing FMD symptoms, such as fever, mouth ulcers, excessive saliva, coughing, or runny noses, will be barred from entering markets and returned to their origin.
“If the animals show signs of illness, they will not be allowed to be traded,” Syam stated. While also, if livestock deaths are detected in a market, animal trading in the affected market will be suspended for 14 days to allow for cleaning and disinfection.
In addition to enhanced monitoring, vaccination efforts are being ramped up. So far, 1,246 animals have been vaccinated, including 375 cattle in Gunungkidul, 274 in Bantul, 328 in Sleman, and 161 in Kulon Progo, including goats and sheep. Furthermore, 108 cattle in the DIY Agricultural Technical Implementation Unit have been vaccinated.
The government is also seeking to procure additional vaccines through corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs while awaiting supplies from the Ministry of Agriculture.
Indonesia Achieves Lowest Inflation Rate in History at 1.57% for 2024
Syam acknowledged that many farmers remain hesitant to vaccinate their livestock due to concerns about potential side effects. To address this, the agency plans to intensify education campaigns to encourage independent vaccination efforts.
Yogyakarta FMD Task Force
The Yogyakarta government is currently drafting a Governor’s Instruction (Ingub) to establish FMD task forces at district and city levels. These task forces will focus on mitigating outbreak risks, monitoring livestock health, ensuring adequate nutrition and vitamins, and maintaining hygiene in animal shelters, especially during the rainy season.
Equally important, the government continues to emphasize the importance of independent vaccination initiatives without relying solely on government intervention.
(Raidi/Agung)
