Online Sales of Sacrificial Animals

RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

A banner promoting the sale of sacrificial animals for Eid al-Adha at a stall selling sacrificial animals in Cilendek, Bogor City, West Java, Thursday (9/7/2020).

The trade in sacrificial animals has begun to get busy again as Idul Adha, or the Muslim Day of Sacrifice, approaches. Since the outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) was reported on 5 May, the contagious animal disease has plagued 222 regencies/cities in 19 provinces.

Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo declared FMD an emergency animal disease in 19 provinces on 25 June. Based on government data obtained from siagapmk.id, a government-run FMD tracking portal, as of 3.00 p.m. on Thursday (30/6/2022), 172,192 animals had been vaccinated. As many as 194,662 cows, buffaloes, goats, and sheep have not recovered from the disease.

The government has also banned the distribution of livestock from affected areas and the opening of animal markets, except with strict control from the task force. Kompas visited the Jatinom animal market in Klaten regency, Central Java, on Wednesday. The market had just been reopened after its closure on 25 May. The local government had reopened the market to meet the need for sacrificial animals for Idul Adha.

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The opening of the market is quite risky as it could further spread the FMD virus. Therefore, local governments should consider the risks when they plan to open other animal markets.

WILIBRORDUS MEGANDIKA WICAKSONO

Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo.

Awareness of the need to prevent the spread of FMD instead comes from animal traders. Some animal traders are worried about bringing their cows to the market for fear of them contracting the FMD virus.

"I will not take the risk. My cow was infected with PMK after being taken to the market,” said Bambang Ariyanto, a cow trader from Jatinom.

Bambang and other traders then decided to sell their animals online through a chat application. If a buyer is interested, they will deliver the cow to the buyer directly. Kompas also published a photo of a trader, showing a video of the cows he sold through his mobile phone.

They should work together to ensure that the transmission of FMD does not occur in official animal markets or temporary markers for sacrificial animals, which are generally located near residential areas.

The efforts made by traders show their awareness of the importance of stopping the spread of FMD. Bambang's concern represents the fears of traders and other breeders. Therefore, the central and local governments need to work hand in hand with veterinarians. They should work together to ensure that the transmission of FMD does not occur in official animal markets or temporary markers for sacrificial animals, which are generally located near residential areas.

The chairman of the Indonesian Veterinary Association (PDHI), M. Munawaroh, on June 28, also issued an instruction to veterinarians to participate in controlling FMD. Veterinarians must be actively involved in the activities conducted the FMD control task force formed by the government. This joint effort needs to be carried out continuously because the same problem could also occur in the lead-up to Idul Adha in the following years.

KOMPAS/VINA OKTAVIA

A trader of sacrificial animals shows a special sticker that reads health information for sacrificial animals that have passed a health check by officers, Thursday (23/6/2022).

Such anticipation is needed as the eradication of FMD will take time. Remember, since FMD was first detected in Malang, East Java, in 1887 due to imports of cattle from Europe, Indonesia was totally free of the disease only in 1990 or 103 years after.

(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi)