MLA funds portable yards for FMD vaccination in Indonesia

Five sets of portable yards to aid local government authorities in vaccinating cattle for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) across the Indonesian Archipelago have now been completed thanks to a project funded by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).

The yards will assist the Indonesian Government to control the spread of FMD in its smallholder farms by providing the facilities necessary for authorities to conduct a mobile vaccination program on properties where appropriate infrastructure is not available.

Built locally using quality materials, the features of each set of portable yards include:

• knock down structure for quick movement between locations
• a platform with tyres to aid movement with a small vehicle
• capacity to hold 20–30 head of livestock
• a head bale system for securing livestock while vaccinating
• loading and unloading ramp to assist cattle movement.

The five sets of yards were completed earlier this month and are now being distributed across provinces in Indonesia, including Riau, Lampung, South Sulawesi, East Kalimantan and West Java.

Above: the portable yards can be easily packed up and transported between different provinces.

The MLA-funded facilities are part of MLA’s suite of in-country support services that have been activated to assist the Indonesian Government in stopping the spread of FMD as well as lumpy skin disease (LSD).

Other in-country support being provided by MLA to stop the spread of these diseases includes:

• provision of a major biosecurity support project, co-funded with the Australian government, to minimise the negative impact of FMD/LSD and to reduce disease spread
• assistance to review Indonesia’s national traceability system to help track and control livestock movements
• interventions to minimise disruption to the live cattle trade
• building Indonesia’s long-term biosecurity capacity to manage exotic diseases
• building Indonesian Government confidence in its feedlot sector to manage disease, ensure trade continues and preserve Indonesia’s food security
• funding a FMD vaccine support project for Indonesian feedlots
• other activities to assist Indonesian industry to manage and minimize disease spread.

Above: portable yard setup in Riau Province.