Uncontrolled use of antibiotics by animal herders spur diseases to shoot up

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia – As of 2021, four types of highly contagious animal diseases have been reported in Mongolia, not the least of which are bovine spongiform encephalopathy, small ruminants, bovine plaque, sheep pox, and moth-and-foot diseases (FDM’S).

To date, FDM’s have spread across 16 provinces nationwide and a quarantine regime has been imposed.

Several factors are contributing to the spread of the disease, such as herders’ movements and traffic. In addition to these factors, the most prominent factor driving the diseases is the increasing use of antibiotics by herders in an insensible manner.

Experts say that the uncontrolled use of antibiotics can lead to the formation of antibiotic residues in the meat and milk of animals, as well as the risk of bacterial resistance.

Ya. Ganbold, director of the Institute of Veterinary Medicine, suggested adopting some procedures to tackle the issue.

He said that the herds’ movement should be quarantined by a specialized veterinary class, acting on the orders of the province and soum governors.

Then, organized measures to separate sick animals from healthy animals must be taken “as soon as possible”, according to him.

“This year, the use of antibiotics has risen sharply due to an outbreak of a highly contagious disease. For example, one family buys 10-20 units. They are used in large quantities because they have a lot of livestock. In the past, the use of antibiotics was very low, and in certain specific diseases, 1-2 doses were used,” director of the “Buyant mal” veterinary pharmacy, B. Purevtseren, said.