Indonesia prepares 2.3 million livestock for Eid al Adha sacrifice
Government anticipates matching demand without importing.
Jakarta: The Indonesian government has prepared 2.3 million animals for the Eid al Adha festival of sacrifice this year with the country’s animal health monitoring online system indicating there will be no need to import.
Director general of livestock and animal health at the agriculture ministry Nasrullah told Salaam Gateway the demand for 1.8 million animals was fully guaranteed from local livestock. The government anticipates a 10% growth in demand this year from the 1.6 million sacrificed in 1443 (2021).
Nasrullah added 2.3 million tails prepared for sacrificial worship consist of 882,266 cows, 27,179 buffaloes, 952,390 goats and 408,025 sheep. Eid al Adha falls on 9 July in Indonesia.
Health issue
However, he admitted this year’s festival was challenging. For the first time since 1990, Indonesia is not included in the World Organisation for Animal Health or OIE’s member list recognised as free from foot and mouth disease (FMD) where vaccination is not practiced.
The disease has affected as many as 236,229 tails across 19 provinces and 216 cities or regencies with a recovery rate of only 32.8%. Nasrullah said the government has initiated steps to ensure the health and safety of both livestock and humans.
Among the measures are the allocation of 29 million state-funded vaccine doses; allocation of medicine and disinfectant and compensation for animals lost to FMD. The move is expected to cost 4.4 trillion rupiah ($297.5 million) and is currently being finalised by the finance ministry.
“We will tighten the livestock traffic between the regions and won’t transfer infected livestock … to keep as much of the regions as possible free from FMD,” Nasrullah added.
The agricultural ministry estimates the economy will lose 9.9 trillion rupiah ($666.9 million) annually due to FMD. The disease affects several elements within the bovine chain including decreased milk production, sudden death (often occurs in calves), miscarriage, decreased fertility rate, weight loss and trade barriers for breeders and consumers.
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