By Soebroto
Bird flu outbreak had affected farmers in Tangerang District, Banten especially poultry farmers (chicken and duck). Awi Henfri Fransiscus was one of the victims. This chicken farmer from Malangnengah Village, Pagedangan Sub district suffered great loss when many of his chickens died during bird flu outbreak in the end of 2003.
”At that time, from around 100 thousand chickens, only 20 thousand left. The others died. My loss was accumulated to Rp 2 billions,” admitted Awi at his farm, Dunia Unggas Farm, last week
Awi recalled that at the time thousands of his chickens died suddenly. The twelve chicken houses in his farm were almost all empty. ”Everyday we buried thousands of carcasses that we didn’t have space anymore,” he said sadly.
The death of those chickens could not be avoided because at that time there was no bird flu vaccine for poultry. ”If back then there was bird flu vaccine, the loss would not be that big”.
The loss were not only suffered by Awi. According to the man who has been in the business for 20 years, no less than six big farms in Malangnengah Village went bankrupt following the spread of bird flu issue.
”Now we already come back in business, my chickens now are around 75 thousands,” he informed happily.
Roy Wijayanto, a farmer from Babat Village in Legok sub district also felt the impact of bird flu on his chickens. Although none of his layers died from bird flu, but the outbreak issue spreading in Babat Village in the end of 2005 decreased his farm’s production.
”The impact was really bad. The production dropped down to 25%,” recalled Roy.
M. Imron, the head of Babat Village, said that the impact of bird flu issue very much affected his villagers. “There was no bird flu case in our village, but the government used our place to depopulate the birds. As the result, consumers did not want to to buy chickens from Babat Village,” told Imron.
The bird flu issue in Babat Village was huge following a research indicating that there were five pigs infected by bird flu virus in Kampung Ciangir. The pigs’ case then was associated with the death of one resident of Villa Mas, Serpong, Iwan Siswara Rapei (38) and his two daughters. The Iwan case is considered as the first bird flu case in human in Indonesia. Serpong sub district is in border with Legok sub district.
Due to the indication of five bird flu infected pigs, many pigs and ducks in Babat Village were culled in order to prevent virus transmission. At that time the Ministry of Agriculture banned pig and poultry including the products originating from Legok sub district and Panongan sub district of Tangerang District from being transported outside of the areas to prevent wider spread of bird flu virus transmission.
Highest case
Tangerang District is one of the highest rates of bird flu case areas. Data from the Team of Data Survey of Bird Flu Control Pilot Project Tangerang mentioned that bird flu positive cases in poultry in Tangerang District reached 70 cases out of a total 518 cases in Banten Province since August 2006 to May 2008. Bird flu cases in human are also high reaching to 17 cases (15 people died) since June 2005 until October 2008.
At present only Tangerang Municipality became the Pilot Project for Bird Flu Control. Next year Tangerang District would become similar project, as mentioned by the Head of Pilot Project Team, Moh Sudono.
Although bird flu case in Tangeranmg is high both in animal and human, the Agriculture and Livestock Service of Tangerang District was reluctant to give data on how big is the impact of bird flu to poultry farming sector. Although the Head of Agriculture and Livestock Service Deden Soemantri was contacted several times, but still he did not respond. Written answer on the question did not really explain how big the impact of bird flu against poultry farmers in Tangerang District is.
Babat Village in Legok sub-district is one of the most affected areas due to bird flu issue. It is because most of the people are raising livestock as their main source of livelihood, said Imron. Babat Village had had its glory in poultry farming business. Around the 1990s, there were more than 30 big and medium scale layer companies. The number was not including traditional community farms. According to Imron, currently there are only eight surviving big farms.
Fortunately the recent condition is back to normal. ”People are not afraid any longer to buy livestock from Babat Village,” said Imron with relief.
Roy, who is managing Buana Farm in Kampung Baru, RT 001/01 Babat Village, mentioned that farming condition has recovered. ”Now the condition is recovered, people are not as panicking as before. Farmers and community have better understanding about bird flu,” he said.
Roy is now raising no less than 70 thousand chickens. Each day his farm produces 3 tons of non-native chicken egg.
This Chinese-descendent man who has been practicing chicken farming for 15 years admitted that he implemented tight bio security towards his chickens. Buana Farm covers a-four hectares area that is far from residential areas. The surrounding is fenced with concrete and closed zinc. Not everyone can enter the farm area. Even people from outside cannot see what is happening inside the farm.
He admitted that he pays more to buy lime, formalin and vaccine. Lime is spread inside chicken houses after washing, while formalin is sprayed into chicken houses once every two week.
”The production cost increases. But we do not want to take risk because if there is one infected by bird flu, the entire flock would be gone,” he said.
Roy said that in his farm there are around 35 workers. The number could increase to 55 men when there is increasing egg production. The workers come from West Java, Central Java and East Java. They live in a housing within the farm compound.
Awi also vaccinates his chickens regularly. To prevent virus entering from outside, each vehicle entering the 7-hectare farm compound is sprayed with disinfectant. He also does not allow people approaching chicken houses except his staff.
”We do not want to take risk. Fortunately bird flu vaccine is available now, so we can be more relaxed,” he said.
Traditional farm dilemma
According to Awi, sector 3 farms usually have implemented bio security. However, he is still worried because bird flu could come from anywhere. Meanwhile in Tangerang there are many community farms which are unable to implement bio security. Even many small farmers could not afford to buy vaccine for their chickens.
Awi’s concern could be seen through Mrs. Wiwit’s livestock. Wiwit, a resident of Kampung Ciangir, Babat Village, raises various animals at her house. She has four ducks, three pigs, around 20 Muscovy ducks, and some chickens.
“I don’t know,” she said when she was asked about bird flu.
Duck’s house is on the left side of Mrs. Wiwit’s house. It is located nearby pig’s house and a mud pond for the pigs to wallow. At the house by the street, pigs are free ranging in front of it. The Muscovy duck’s cage is attached to her house. Some chickens roamed inside the dirty house with the bamboo wall.
Mrs Wiwit admitted that she raises livestock just for her own needs. The rest is sold to collectors. “Usually they come to my house,” she said.
She also said that she never received any education session on bird flu from the livestock service. “Never,” she said briefly.
However, the Head of Veterinary Public Health Section of Livestock Service Tangerang, drh. Asmiyati, stated that her section has provided some guidance for sector 3 (commercial farm) and 4 (backyard farm) farmers. “We regularly visit villages to give education,” Asmiyati admitted.
Besides education, they also established bird flu cadres and poultry movement control.
”We apply tight bio security, depopulation and vaccination,” she said.
A professor of Veterinary Faculty of IPB (Bogor Agriculture Institute), Retno D Soejoedono said that to prevent the spread of bird flu virus, it is necessary to conduct bio security and sanitation measures. According to her, bio security measures are applied such as by cleaning cages at least with detergent leftover from washing clothes. Meanwhile, sanitation can be done through hygiene habits, for example by washing hands with soap after handling chicken.
”Put cages away from living area. Separate chicken from duck (waterfowl), vaccinate regularly,” she recommended.
Furthermore, according to her, newly bought chickens should not be mixed with the existing flock. Retno advised that it is better to cage chickens and not free ranged. “Give warning and education on good and proper farming practice. Such as the benefit of caging chickens for easier vaccination process.”
According to Asmiyati, Tangerang District is the center of poultry production. Poultry farms are located in Cikupa, Panongan, Cisoka, Ciputat, Pasar Kemis, Legok, Pagedangan, Curug, Pondok Aren, Kemeri, Rajeg, Tigaraksa, Teluknaga, and Sepatan.
Based on Perda (Local Government regulation) Number 3 of 2008 concerning areas within Tangerang District, potential areas to develop poultry production including Gunung Kaler, Jambe, Cisoka, Teluknaga, and Cisauk sub districts.
”The other sub districts, although they are poultry production center, cannot expand the business as the area is already densely populated,” she said.
Although there are many bird flu cases, but according to data, the whole production of meat and eggs in Tangerang District is continuously increasing since 2004. The number of non-native chickens, for example, from 10.877.399 chickens in 2004, increased to 11,517,246 chickens (2005), 12,157,093 chickens (2006), and 12.796.940 chickens (2007). In 2008 up to September the number has reached 8,829,889 birds.
Meanwhile for non-native layers, the increases are 1,704,675 (2004), 1,804,950 (2005), 1,905,225 (2006) and 2,005,500 (2007).
The increase also applies to egg production of non native chicken, native chicken and duck. The total egg production reached 308,993 kg (2004), 327,167 (2005), 345,345 (2006), 363,521 (2007), and 250,829 (until September 2008).
To maintain Tangerang District as poultry production center, according to Asmiyati, they provide guidance to farmers especially in sector 3 (commercial farm) and sector 4 (backyard farm).
The number of backyard farms in Tangerang District is very large. Asmiyati mentioned around 60-70 % of households are raising poultry. While farmers of sector 1, 2 and 3 comprise of 4 breeder farms, 12 broiler farms and 147 layer farms.
To assist backyard farmer in preventing bird flu danger, Awi said education only is not enough. He suggested that the government provides immediate assistance such as subsidized vaccine to farmers. “In the case of bird flu infection, all farmers would get the impact. It is very dangerous if the poultry are not vaccinated especially for free ranging ones,” he said.
Imron also proposed that backyard farmers should get more attention. ”Backyard farmers should be assisted. People here have been depending on poultry production since a long time ago, therefore it is impossible to remove the backyard farms at all,’’ he said.
To prevent the spread of bird flu in Tangerang, according to M. Sudon, it is better that poultry are not raised in residential area. Meanwhile Retno stressed the importance of bio security, sanitation and no free ranging poultry.
The current condition is a dilemma. Banning backyard farming means kills their livelihoods. On the other hand, farming style where chickens are free ranged without tight control has the risk of spreading bird flu. It is necessary to find the solutions for the goodness of all.[*]
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