Immediately after the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquake that caused one of the greatest destructions in history, DEU carried out support works from four branches, this time the experts of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine extended a helping hand to the region. DEU scientists, who went to Adıyaman to carry out due diligence and support activities for livestock enterprises and breeders in the region, made important warnings about the SAT-2 type foot and mouth virus and protective measures.

Dokuz Eylul University (DEU), one of Turkey’s respected higher education institutions, continues to heal the wounds of the earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş. Immediately after the earthquakes that caused one of the greatest destructions in history, DEU took action from four branches to support, and made significant contributions to disaster coordination with search and rescue, health services, social services and damage assessment works. This time, at DEU, which informs the public by publishing earthquake research reports, experts from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine extended a helping hand to the region. DEU Rector Prof. Dr. Dean of DEU Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, who went to Adıyaman with the instruction of Nükhet Hotar to determine the situation and support activities of livestock enterprises and breeders in the region. Dr. Zafer Bulut, Res. See. Dr. Mustafa Yiğit Nizam and Res. See. The DEU team, consisting of Tunahan Çomak, continues its field support activities.

EXTENSIVE STUDY

In Adıyaman, one of the provinces most affected by the earthquake, T.C. Contacting the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Adıyaman Provincial Directorate, the DEU team gathered information about the situation and needs of livestock enterprises and breeders in the region, suspicions of seasonal and epidemic diseases, and the status of animal shelters after the earthquake and flood disaster. DEU scientists, who immediately started their feasibility studies, took action by identifying the businesses and breeders to be visited. The team provides general examination, diagnosis and treatment where needed, especially the measures to be taken regarding the SAT-2 type foot and mouth virus, which is also seen in our country from abroad in all the businesses visited; has taken precautions against seasonal diseases that may be seen due to climatic conditions in businesses without any problems.

ATTENTION ATTENDED TO FMD DISEASE

Giving information about the studies in the region, DEU Veterinary Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Zafer Bulut, stating that they especially drew attention to the SAT-2 type foot and mouth virus during their visits to the farms and breeders, said, “We have given important information about foot-and-mouth disease, a viral zoonotic disease (which can be transmitted from animals to humans) which is also seen in Turkey and is on the agenda for the last two months. . Foot-and-mouth disease is seen in double-hoofed animals, infecting and spreading very quickly, deaths in calves and lambs; a disease that causes great yield losses in other animals. There are 7 different serotypes of foot and mouth virus as O, A, C, SAT-1, SAT-2, SAT-3 and ASIA I. It is known that the SAT-2 serotype, which has not been found before in Turkey, came to our country from abroad and was detected in 8 enterprises according to the Ministry’s data. No cases of FMD have been reported in Adıyaman so far, and as of March 17, 2023, the vaccination work has been completed with the devoted efforts of veterinarians.

TREATMENT PROCESSES STARTED

Stating that they detected respiratory system diseases in some animals due to winter conditions and seasonal changes due to damage to the shelters in the enterprises, Bulut noted that they started the treatment processes for these animals. Bulut said, “We have informed businesses about the measures that can be taken against possible diseases and recommended vaccine protocols that can be applied against different diseases. We detected diarrhea in newborn calves in some enterprises and started treatment protocols. At this point, we shared with the breeders our recommendations for the prevention of losses in calves, by showing the results of the project called “Vaccination of Pregnant Animals Against Calf Mortality”, which was carried out as a pilot project by DEU Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and was completed in 2022. Bulut also stated that the drugs provided by Dokuz Eylül University and Adıyaman Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry were left to the enterprises in places where treatment was started after the diagnosis of diseases.

PROTECTIVE MEASURES ARE LISTED

Underlining that vaccination studies are carried out for precautionary purposes, and that there are measures to be taken by breeders for preventive purposes in the fight against the disease, Bulut said, “These measures; The presence of effective disinfectants at the entrances of the enterprises, no one from the outside entering the enterprises, only the caregivers entering the enterprises, paying attention to the cleaning of hands, milking machine and udder in milking, not supplying feed from the regions where the infection was reported, not sending animals to the pastures close to the infected areas, after making sure that the newly purchased animals are healthy by quarantining them. Then it can be listed as inclusion in the herd. In case of a disease in the establishment, a veterinarian should be informed immediately, healthy and diseased animals should be separated from each other immediately, animal caretakers should be separated in the same way, animal litter should be safely destroyed, and the sections where sick animals should be disinfected.

Continuing his explanations, Bulut said: “During the field studies, T.C. We visited the working area together with Dr. Metin Türker, General Manager of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM), deputy general managers, heads of departments and provincial directorate delegation. Dear General Manager and accompanying delegation, our Rector Prof. Dr. We talked about the earthquake mobilization carried out by our university with all its units under the leadership of Nükhet Hotar. All the information we mentioned about foot and mouth disease was explained to the breeders in all the businesses visited and the importance of their role in preventing the disease was emphasized. Slaughter, quarantine and vaccination measures are applied in the fight against foot and mouth disease. T.R. Vaccination studies have been started across the country by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and are being tried to be completed quickly.

Source: (BYZHA) – Beyaz News Agency