The livestock sector plays a vital role in economic development, particularly in improving the welfare of farmers in rural areas. Gunungkidul Regency is one area with a significant livestock population exceeding 150,000 between 2018 and 2020.
However, anthrax disease poses a real threat to livestock health and the community in Gunungkidul. Anthrax is endemic in the area, and its annual outbreaks are exacerbated by a tradition called brandu.
Brandu is an ancient tradition of slaughtering already-dead cattle or goats and distributing the meat to residents who pay a fee to lighten the burden on the animal’s owner.
“The fee usually depends on the market price of the cow, reduced to half or a third, and evenly divided among the families in the hamlet. The payment period is typically 35 days,” said Allama Rozan Firdaus, head of the Student Creativity Program in Social Sciences and Humanities Research (PKM-RSH) Brandu team, in a statement to reporters on Wednesday (Jul. 31).
Alongside Firdaus, the Brandu team comprises four other students from different disciplines: Luluk Kiesa Putri (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine), Ratih Aulia Hasna (Faculty of Psychology), and Pamula Nur Kriswardhani and Muhammad Hafidz Zidan (Faculty of Cultural Sciences), under the guidance of Dr. Atik Triratnawati, an Anthropology lecturer at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB UGM).
According to Firdaus, the brandu tradition significantly impacts the transmission and spread of anthrax in Gunungkidul. If an animal dies from anthrax and is slaughtered, anthrax spores can be released through the blood, contaminating the soil and potentially remaining infectious for up to 80 years.
“This condition causes anthrax cases to recur annually in Gunungkidul. The contaminated environment can transmit anthrax to humans through the consumption of infected meat and contact with broken skin,” he said.
However, many residents have misconceptions about the cause of sudden livestock deaths. The team’s research revealed that most residents believe the sudden deaths of cows are due to poisoning from young cassava leaves or ‘mendem.’ They are unaware that sudden deaths can also be caused by anthrax.
“Since there are no apparent symptoms of anthrax, residents assume the deaths are due to mendem and proceed to slaughter the animals for distribution,” he explained.
Since the anthrax outbreak in the area in 2020, four human deaths have been recorded. Some infected individuals exhibited initial symptoms such as fever, vomiting, and black spots on their fingers, while others showed no symptoms. The outbreak also led to the deaths of seven cows and one goat.
From a socio-cultural perspective, Firdaus noted that the brandu tradition is based on mutual cooperation. The strong collective spirit in Jati Hamlet is evident from the community’s support when a resident loses a cow.
In this hamlet, cows are seen as savings for significant needs like children’s education. The brandu tradition is a social norm in the hamlet, requiring all residents to participate when an animal is lost.
“This norm creates a sense of obligation to participate in the brandu,” explained Pamula, a team member.
Despite the potential dangers, the brandu tradition benefits the livestock owners and the community. The tradition’s reciprocal nature means that those who participate in the brandu today can expect support if they lose livestock in the future.
Pamula stated that the student team recommends that residents wishing to continue the brandu tradition bury dead animals and provide weekly contributions (‘jimpitan’) instead.
She concluded, “The concept remains the same, aiming to alleviate the economic burden for those who lose their livestock.”
Author: Leony
Editor: Gusti Grehenson