Officials from the Stung Treng provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries have urged livestock farmers to cooperate with village veterinary officials and vaccinate all cattle, including buffalos. More than 20 animals were found dead in two districts, due to haemorrhagic septicaemia disease (HS).

The department’s commune bureau head Sieng Meng Horng said that almost 20 out of the total 554 cattle in Kbal Romeas commune, of Sesan district, had died, likely because of HS. The cattle were released to graze without the care and supervision of their owners.

However, he said veterinarians were working to vaccinate the other animals in the commune.

“Since the potential outbreak was first reported, there have been no new HS cases. The village veterinarians are working to vaccinate the remaining cattle. They have so far vaccinated 89 of them,” he explained.

“We are asking veterinarians to vaccinate in the areas where HS disease was found because we are afraid it will spread. Some farmers appear unconcerned and are not seeking out vaccinations, however,” he added.

He called for all villagers to cooperate with the authorities and seek intervention as soon as they noticed any abnormal illnesses among their animals.

Tum Niro, director of the provincial agriculture department, highlighted that only infected cattle were discovered in just two of the province’s districts.

“Eighteen cattle died in Sesan district’s Kbal Romeas commune and four were undergoing treatment. In Siem Pang district’s Thma Keo commune, five buffaloes had died,” he said.

“Many sick animals have been cured, although the 23 deaths are believed to be from HS disease. We are rolling out vaccinations to protect the remaining cattle,” he added.

Pen Sobol, Kbal Romeas commune chief, urged people not to believe rumours that nearly 600 cattle in the commune were infected with HS.

“The whole commune has only 554 cattle, and just 18 died between August 18 and 21. The initial findings suggest that they died from HS,” he acknowledged.