Lumpy skin disease spreading among cows; widespread vaccination from January 15

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the lumpy skin disease in cattle posing a challenge for the dairy sector and a concern for dairy farmers, the Animal Husbandry Department has decided to intensify vaccination to combat the disease in cows and buffaloes. The Animal Husbandry Department is gearing up to give vaccines to all cows and buffaloes in the state from January 15th. 9 lakh doses of vaccine have been purchased for this purpose. More will be delivered to the state if required.

At present, the disease has been reported in 8,000 cows in the state. The authorities are planning to create immunity by doing ring vaccination for cows within a radius of 5 km from the confirmed area. The disease has been reported in Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Malappuram and Kasaragod districts. Last year, 4,928 cattle in the state were affected with lumpy skin disease. 59 of them died. The disease was first reported in Kerala in 2019.

Lumpy skin disease
Lumpy skin disease, which is widespread in Africa, Middle Eastern countries and Russia, was reported in Orissa in February 2019. It was reported in Kerala in the same year. The disease is caused by LSD viruses of the Capripoxvirus species. The disease is transmitted by some species of fleas, biting flies of the genus Stomoxys, and some species of mosquitoes. The disease can very rarely be passed from mother to child as well as through contact with sick animals.