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Hundreds of Horses in Sumba Island Killed by Surra
Tambolaka - Hundreds of horses in Sumba Island, Nusa Tenggara Timur, died of surra disease infection between August 2010 and early June 2011. The disease is spread by (blood-sucking) flies from one animal to another and is still ongoing until now. Disease mitigation is not optimum until now because the regional government only has limited funds.
In many regions in Sumba Island during the last week, besides horses, surra has also attacked water buffaloes. Animals affected by the disease suffer swelling on the thorax and extended abdomen. Within 14 days since the onset, affected animals usually die.
Surra has started attacking animals in Sumba since July 2010. The disease emerged in Kodi Bangedho subdistrict in Sumba Barat Daya district. It is suspected that several race horses from Kodi had participated in a competition in Bima, Nusa Tenggara Barat, and contracted surra.
“After the horses returned from Bima, they brought with them surra-infected flies on their bodies. These flies then reproduced and attacked horses and water buffaloes in Kodi. From Kodi, the disease then spread to the whole island of Sumba,” said Bram Tako, a farmer in Karuni village, Loura subdistrict, Sumba Barat Daya district.
By early June 2011, at least 284 horses and 53 water buffaloes were reported dead from the disease. Most deaths were found in Sumba Timur district with 274 horses and 16 water buffaloes, followed by Sumba Barat Daya district with 47 horses and 37 water buffaloes. No data is available regarding surra in Sumba Barat and Sumba Tengah district.
“Seven of my horses died in the last month. Farmers are very concerned with surra. Many suffered great losses. Those who had tens of horses now were left with none because of the disease,” said Rihi Lena (75), a farmer in Lewa administrative village, Lewa subdistrict, Sumba Timur district.
Not optimum
Bram Tako said that from January to May 2011, tens of horses in the village died from surra. There were also many deaths in 2010. The government has not responded to the case appropriately.
“If the government does not overcome surra completely, all animals in Sumba could die. Farmers could not get the medicine to treat surra, besides expensive, it is also hard to find,” said Bram.
Surra treatment, using tripamedium, is priced at Rp 200,000 per sachet and is very burdening for farmers. The medicine is not even sold in shops in Sumba. The regional government of Sumba Timur has submitted a proposal requesting aid from the Ministry of Agriculture, but no progress so far.
Secretary of the Livestock Service Office of Sumba Timur, Dominikus Ara, said of 22 subdistricts in Sumba Timur, two of them have been hit the hardest by the disease. The two are Lewa and Lewa Tidahu subdistricts. In both subdistricts, hundreds of animals, horses and water buffaloes in particular, have died. “Buffaloes could repel flies on their own by wallowing in the mud, but the same does not apply for horses,” said Ara.
Head of the Livestock Service Office of Sumba Barat Daya, Timotius Bulu, said they are continuously trying to control the disease by localizing its spread. (KOR/JAN).
Source : Kompas