Livestock welfare needs to be a concern for all communities, especially for slaughterers, ahead of the Eid al-Adha observance.
Many sacrificial animals receive insufficient attention when placed in temporary holding areas around mosques, schools, offices, and so forth.
Professor Panjono, a lecturer at the UGM Faculty of Animal Science, encouraged mosque administrators or sacrificial committees to ensure the welfare of sacrificial animals.
“We must ensure that the livestock can rest calmly and comfortably. The holding area should not be too noisy as to disturb the animals’ peace,” said Professor Panjono on Tuesday (May 20)
He emphasized the importance of how the livestock are tied. A sufficiently strong tie prevents the animals from getting loose.
He reminded us that the position of the stake and the length of the rope must also be considered so that the livestock can be comfortable without getting tangled or choked due to improper positioning and rope length.
“If the livestock are in the holding pen for more than 6 hours, they should be given water to prevent dehydration,” he explained.
Furthermore, he reminded the public to be more discerning and not arbitrary in choosing sacrificial animals, especially cattle and sheep.
Professor Panjono gave tips for selecting healthy and defect-free sacrificial cattle and sheep.
“Healthy livestock can be seen from their physical appearance and behavior,” he elaborated.
The physical appearance of healthy livestock, among others, includes a clean, fresh mouth that is not foamy or foul-smelling; clear, bright, and not dull eyes, which are not cloudy white or red, and without white discharge (or in Javanese, blobok).
Furthermore, the rump and anus should appear clean, with no feces sticking to them.
“If a cow has diarrhea, that’s clearly a sign of illness,” explained Professor Panjono.
Healthy livestock, he said, will appear quite active and not lethargic. In addition, for healthy ruminant livestock such as cattle, buffalo, goats, and sheep, it is indicated by rumination activity.
“If we are in Java, it’s called nggayemi,” he added.
Reporter: Faculty of Animal Science/Satria
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Illustration: Freepik.com