Government Dispatches Veterinary Team for Animal Treatment

AKP: Phnom Penh October 25, 2005

Four veterinary specialists are dispatched Wednesday to Ratanakiri province where case of foot-and-mouth disease are affecting cows and buffalos.
According to the Animal Health and Production Department, the team will only help local farmers to treat the
affected animal with traditional medicine. It is reported that about 10,000 cases were recently found infecting the animal.
Kao Phal, director of the ministry's Animal Health and Production Department, told local media on Sunday that the government was concerned over the outbreak that would be a blow to poor farmers.
"The government is worried when more cows and buffalos get foot-and-mouth disease. Farmers will have nothing for cultivation and transportation," Kao Phal said.
As vaccine is expensive and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery does not have allocated budget for the vaccine, the 4-strong team will teach farmers how to treat the animal with local practice.