Pigs in Bali are getting examined ahead of the Balinese Hindu feast holiday, Galungan.
Twice a year, Hindus get together with the family to celebrate the victory of good (dharma) over evil (adharma) for the Galungan holiday. Galungan is a 10-day festival occurring every 210 days on the Balinese Saka calendar system, beginning on Wednesday this week and closing on Kuningan, Nov. 11.
The sacrifice of pigs and feasting on pork is a major tradition of the Balinese holiday.
In anticipation of all the pork consumption, the local government in Bali has been on the ball, conducting health checks of the island’s pigs so that they are fit to eat.
Head of the Animal Health Division of Badung’s Agriculture Department, I Gede Arsama said his office was conducting a two-day intensive examination from Sunday to Monday in conjunction with Udayana University (UNUD), to check points of slaughter in the regency.
“In connection with Hari Raya Galungan, we started yesterday (Sunday) to today (Monday). We are conducting health exams on pigs to be slaughtered,” Arsama confirmed, as quoted by the Bali Post.
According to Arsama, 181 people went out, consisting of 62 veterinarians and 119 students from the UNUD veterinary school.
Health officials are particularly concerned about meningitis, which has had a history of presenting itself in Bali. Eating pork that is not fully cooked and contaminated with bacteria can cause meningitis.
“It’s one of our concerns. So we urge people to properly cook pork before consumption,” Arsama cautioned.
