Foot-and-mouth disease main enemy of livestock industry

SERIAN: The foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has become the main enemy of the livestock industry in Sarawak.

According to Tebedu assemblyman, Dr Simon Sinang Bada, FMD is a disease capable of crossing borders and causing significant problems for livestock such as buffaloes, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.

However, he assured that livestock owners in Sarawak have not recorded any cases related to FMD.

“As evidence, the Sarawak Veterinary Services Department (DVS) has inspected 754 livestock premises with 40,940 animals free from the disease,” he said in his speech at the closing ceremony of the FMD Simulation Programme here today (27 June).

“Since Sarawak’s livestock industry remains free from the threat of the FMD outbreak, we can continue to export live pigs to Singapore with an estimated annual export revenue of RM346 million.

“Hence, to ensure that Sarawak’s livestock industry remains free from the threat of the FMD outbreak, the DVS continues to hold online discussions with neighbouring areas such as Kalimantan, Sabah and Brunei Darussalam to monitor the status of livestock in their respective areas,” he added.

Also present were Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus, Ministry of Food Industry, Commodities, and Regional Development Sarawak (M-FICORD) Division head of the Food Industry David Branch, representative of the general manager of the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA) Henry Daris, Serian Resident Wee Chung Yee, Tebedu District Officer Gerard George Entigar and others.