Curb Lumpy Skin Disease

With the second wave of lumpy skin disease (LSD) sweeping across the country, the livestock farming sector is now facing unprecedented threat. It has killed thousands of cows and infected many more, incurring the loss of billions of rupees. The epidemic spread to all 77 districts within four months of outbreak. The LSD crisis bears negative ramifications for the country’s import-based economy. Nepali farmers are now bearing the brunt of LSD as the country is in the process of post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery.

Around 60 per cent of population comprises of farmers who rely on livestock to earn income as agriculture alone does not suffice to meet their annual expenses. The animal husbandry has 6 per cent share to the gross domestic product (GDP) while agriculture’s contribution to GDP is around 30 per cent. As farmers are deprived of income they make from the milking cows and buffaloes, this might hurt the prospect of attaining self-reliance on dairy products.

A vector-borne viral disease of cattle, LSD is caused by a germ that falls in the category of Poxviridae. Its symptoms include fever and nodules on the skin, which can also cause the death of infected animals. They also develop sores on snout, mouth and nose and release excessive fluid from eyes and nose. The blood-feeding insects, such as flies and mosquitoes and ticks transmit the LSD virus. Timely vaccination and culling of diseased animals are important for preventive measures.

In Nepal, this disease was first detected in Sundarharaicha Municipality of Morang district on June 25, 2020. Perhaps it might have entered Nepal via open Nepal-India border like COVID-19 pandemic. The first report of the infectious disease should have been a clear warning to the health authorities to step up measures to contain its transmission to the other parts of the country. 

However, failure to enforce effective prevention has enabled the epidemic to spread to the hills and mountains from the southern plains. Two years ago, 3,301 cattle from 16 districts had contracted the virus and 13 of them had died. Its second wave that began in last March infected 800,000 cattle mostly cows and buffalos. Of them, 28,424 perished and around 227,151 are still sick, according to news report of this daily published on Sunday.

  Experts say that mortality rate of LSD-infected animals stands two to three per cent on average but farmers continue to incur damage even after the recovery of infected animals. Vaccination of the cattle is the best option to fight the LSD since its medicine has not been developed. Farmers are suggested to maintain hygiene in the sheds that should be free from flies, mosquitoes and other insects. 

Veterinary experts advise treating the infected animals by isolating them as per their symptoms. Animals having fever need to be administered paracetamol while itching and antiseptic ointment should be applied to clean wounds. Sick animals need more food and liquid to build immunity. Following the detection of the virus, the Central Livestock Disease Research Laboratory approved vaccines to control it. Around 256,178 cattle have been vaccinated till now, with local units providing subsidy on vaccines.

They allocated Rs. 76 million for the purpose in the last fiscal year. Now it is urgent to deploy veterinarians in all local levels to enhance their capacity for the treatment of the infected animals. At the moment, 516 out of 753 local levels have no veterinary doctors. The three-tier governments must work in close coordination to contain the surge of virus to control the livestock catastrophe.