Lameness in cattle can cause significant losses if not properly addressed, as it disrupts the productivity of the animals. To tackle this issue, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Gadjah Mada University (UGM), in collaboration with the Indonesian Association of Cattle Veterinarians (IDHSI), organized a seminar and workshop titled “Addressing Lameness: Strategies for Managing Bovine Foot Problems” on Saturday, June 29, 2024. The event featured expert speakers from Massey University, New Zealand, Prof. Richard Laven, BvetMed, Ph.D., FRCVS, and Dr. Deddy Fachruddin Kurniawan, Vice Chairman of IDHSI and Founder and CEO of Dairy Pro Indonesia.
The seminar was opened by Prof. Dr. Drh. Aris Haryanto, M.Sc, Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Alumni at FKH UGM. During this occasion, Aris mentioned that a Cooperation Agreement had been signed between FKH UGM and IDHSI, expected to align with SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals. “This seminar is the first of its kind and hopefully can continue in the following years due to the great enthusiasm of the participants and the need for updates on dairy cattle,” he said. This sentiment was echoed by PDHI D.I. Yogyakarta. “We highly appreciate and are proud of this initiative, as there have not been many seminars and workshops on large animals. This is a good breakthrough expected to improve the skills of veterinarians, especially in Yogyakarta,” said Drh. Romli Ainul Kusumo, Deputy Chairman II for Public Relations and Social Media PDHI D.I. Yogyakarta.
The blended seminar, attended by around 120 veterinary practitioners from various regions and some students, saw Prof. Richard discussing the intricacies of lameness in cattle. Although he used examples of lameness cases from his country, New Zealand, these cases are highly relevant and could occur in Indonesia, providing valuable lessons on how to handle lameness cases. In the second session, Dr. Deddy Fachruddin Kurniawan presented on the technicalities of hoof trimming, including tips and tricks for handling and restraining cattle for hoof trimming. This event is expected to indirectly contribute to achieving healthier and more prosperous lives (SDG 3) and maintaining better terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15).
Participants were enthusiastic, as evidenced by the questions posed to Prof. Richard and Dr. Deddy. These questions opened up many lameness cases among cattle farmers in Indonesia. One of the seminar participants, Drh. Keki Riza Murty, a veterinary officer at UPTD RPH and Puskeswan, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Sukoharjo Regency, explained his reasons for attending the event. Among them was a desire to learn more about handling laminitis, given the high number of unresolved laminitis cases in Sukoharjo, where farmers often choose to sell their lame cattle. “From the material presented, I learned better methods for handling laminitis that I had never used in Sukoharjo,” he said.
The seminar was followed by a workshop at the Sarono Makmur Dairy Cooperative, Cangkringan, Sleman. During the workshop, Prof. Richard and Dr. Deddy, accompanied by Drh. Sunu, a lecturer from the Department of Internal Medicine FKH UGM, and Drh. Taufiq from IDHSI, demonstrated practical techniques for handling and caring for cattle hooves affected by lameness. Workshop participants were eager to try the techniques firsthand under the guidance of the speakers. Drh. Ruly, one of the workshop participants, stated that the workshop was comprehensive, covering both the material presented and hands-on practice, providing new and very useful knowledge.
Contributor: Laila
