POULTRYINDONESIA, Blitar – The Indonesian Veterinary Medical Association (PDHI) East Java VIII Branch has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the role of veterinarians within integrated livestock systems—not only as animal health practitioners, but also as technical production consultants.

This was conveyed during the inauguration of the new board and the program socialization event of PDHI East Java VIII, held at Hotel Santika Blitar on Wednesday (April 15).

Blitar Vice Regent, Beky Herdihansah, emphasized that veterinarians play a strategic role in maintaining a healthy, productive, and safe livestock production chain.

“Veterinarians must be present at every stage, not only when problems arise. More importantly, they must ensure that potential risks are minimized from the outset,” said Beky.

Given that Blitar Regency is one of the main poultry production centers in East Java, he stressed the need for a robust animal health surveillance system to safeguard production stability from disease outbreaks.

Beky also highlighted the importance of controlling the use of medications in farming practices, including antibiotics. If not properly managed, such use could pose long-term risks to public health. He further encouraged the development of more accessible veterinary services at the local level as part of strengthening regional animal health infrastructure.

In line with this, Head of PDHI East Java VIII Branch, Riris Dian Wiwahyu, expressed the organization’s readiness to enhance technical assistance for farmers. The main focus includes biosecurity, feed management, and field-based disease control.

She emphasized that future demands in the poultry industry require veterinarians to go beyond being animal healers and act as strategic partners in improving efficiency and production quality.

“Our approach is now more comprehensive, covering disease prevention, production management, and farmer education to help them adapt to changes,” Riris stated.

Through the synergy between PDHI and the Blitar Regency Government, the livestock sector in the region is expected not only to excel in production volume but also to meet increasingly stringent standards of quality and food safety, while strengthening regional competitiveness at the national level.

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