
Outbreaks of Nail and Mouth Disease (FMD) caused by Aphtaee epizootecae virus have recently make farmers worried. This case generally occurs in cattle. Based on data from the East Java Livestock Service as of June 5, 2022, it is indicated that as many as 32,949 cows were exposed to the FMD virus (reported from detik.com, 2022).
FMD can be transmitted through direct contact between animals affected by the disease and animals that are still healthy, as well as indirect contact that can be transmitted through the air or humans as an intermediary for the virus.
Common symptoms that appear when a cow is infected with FMD are high fever, refusal to eat, and sores on the nails and mouth. This outbreak can cause a decrease in body weight in livestock, causing losses for farmers ahead of Eid al-Adha.
Cow’s milk producers in Malang Regency, especially in the affected districts of Kasembon, Jabung, Pujon, Ngantang, and Tumpang, have taken various ways to increase immunity and reduce injuries to cows by giving spices.
Seeing this, the Universitas Brawijaya (UB) Doctoral Service-Real Work Lecture team consisting of lecturers and students from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Faculty of Agriculture (FP), and Faculty of Agricultural Technology (FTP), initiating the prevention of the epidemic with Eco-Enzyme innovation.
The KKN-DM team led by Dr. Riyanti Isaskar, S.P., M.Si is collaborating with Eco-Enzyme Nusantara community, PMI Batu, TANAGA, and Eco-Enzyme Malang Batu volunteers which have been going on since June 14, 2022.
Eco-Enzyme (EE) is processed organic waste such as vegetables and fruit peels which are fermented anaerobically to produce propionic acid, acetic acid, nitrate, and carbon trioxide compounds. The content of phenol in fruit peels as secondary metabolites is useful as an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, non-allergic, anti-septic, anti-bacterial and provides a vasodilator effect to minimize blood clotting.
The more variety of organic materials used, the more complete the EE content (at least 5 kinds of vegetables or fruit). EE can be made independently by utilizing sugar, organic material, and water in a ratio of 1: 3: 10. Making EE is easy, cheap and environmentally friendly to reduce costs for farmers. Only needing a large container can reduce the number of cattle infected with FMD.
This activity began with socialization and assistance in making EE for more than 50 farmers in Pait village, Kasembon sub-district, Thursday (16/06/2022).
“Eco Enzyme is safe to use on livestock because the composition used is natural. Eco Enzyme’s efforts to suppress FMD outbreaks are applied as medicine, animal feed and also a natural disinfectant,” Riyanti explained.
Assistance in making EE is carried out to empower farmers so that they can make EE independently when the EE stock provided has run out.
“Farmers are very enthusiastic in participating in this Eco-Enzyme empowerment activity, this is because there has been no real action from the local government in dealing with PMK cases, especially in these areas,” she said.
In addition to providing assistance in the produce of EE, students, lecturers, and volunteers also provide information and assistance in the handling and prevention of FMD in cattle, because EE extract can be used as medicine, especially in the hoof and mouth of cows.
The intended prevention is done by dissolving 1 ml of EE using 400 ml of water as a mixture of livestock drinking water and applying it to the mouth and feet of the cow that has been exposed. With a dose of 1 ml of EE: 1000 ml of water, it can also be applied as a livestock disinfectant for both bathing and cage disinfection. In addition, EE waste can also be used as a mixture of animal feed.
The use of EE is carried out routinely, namely twice a day so that the effects given appear to produce optimal results, while for prevention it is only done once a day.
“Farmers who have applied EE to infected cows reported that the use of EE in one day can increase the appetite of the cows thereby increasing their body immunity. Even the festering cow’s hoof can also be cured with the EE application,” explained Riyanti.
With this innovation, it is hoped that academics, volunteers, and the government in the future can work together as an efforts to handle FMD, especially in East Java by expanding the dissemination of information related to the benefits of EE.
“This is very helpful for our farmers considering the existence of drugs which are still difficult, even if they are expensive,” concluded the lecturer at the Faculty of Agriculture. [Ryt/Irene/ Humas UB/ Trans. Iir]

