May 13, 2025

FMD infects 8,000 cows in Kuwait as milk production drops 75%

The Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) in Kuwait has reported that 31 out of 44 cow farms in Sulaibiya have been infected with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), with cases already reaching 8,000 from April 6 to May 5.

This has resulted in a decline in dairy fresh milk production by 75%, from 250,000 litres to 100,000 litres per day, according to PAAAFR Director General Engineer Salem Al-Hai.

Al-Hai said that 952 cows have already recovered and 71 died, adding that FMD is not just an organic disease but is also considered an economic malady as it affects the country's meat and dairy industries. He urged farms to strengthen the cows' immune system and biosecurity to ensure adequate protection against the disease.

Al-Hai said the FMD vaccines are expected to arrive in two weeks to help curb the spread of FMD as well as restore local milk production to normal levels. At the same time, he also called on producers to limit animal movement—whether through sale or donation—until the epidemiological situation in Sulaibaya stabilises. Al-Hai also appealed to farm workers to strictly comply with sanitation and sterilisation procedures such as sterilising milking equipment, milking tools, and milking sites, in addition to training workers and raising their awareness on preventive measures.

Meanwhile, the Union of Fresh Dairy Companies lamented the delayed arrival of FMD vaccines, causing huge losses to cow farmers who have started selling their cows for as low as KD150 (US$489.08), compared to the import price KD1,500 (US$4,890.83) per cow from Europe; and KD1,000 (US$3,260.56) from Australia.

The group's chairman Abdulhakim Al-Ahmad said that FMD is also causing mastitis in cows, further exacerbating the animals' health and reducing milk production. He called on PAAAFR and other concerned authorities for the expedited acquisition of vaccines to immediately help affected farms.

-      Arab Times Online