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This is an archive article published on September 21, 2022
Maharashtra: Private vets, retired Animal Husbandry officers told to volunteer in Lumpy Skin Disease vax campaign
According to latest official figures, the contagious infection has so far infected over 11,000 cattle and killed over 300 in Maharashtra.
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation told the Gujarat High Court that since Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) is now “under control” in Ahmedabad city limits and in the state, prohibition order against transportation of cattle now stands lifted. (File)
Maharashtra Animal Husbandry Commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh Tuesday asked private veterinary practitioners as well as retired technical officers and employees of the Animal Husbandry Department to voluntarily participate in the vaccination campaign against Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) virus.
According to the latest official figures, the contagious disease has so far infected over 11,000 cattle and killed over 300 in Maharashtra.
Although LSD is a rapidly spreading infectious disease among the livestock, it is almost certainly curable if treated promptly, Singh said in Pune Tuesday.
“At present, the mortality rate of cows and bulls due to this disease is very low. So, animal owners should not panic. However, they should keep a close vigil for possible symptoms of lumpy disease,” Singh said in a video from the Pune-headquartered Maharashtra Animal Husbandry Department office.
Lumpy Skin Disease has been noticed in 839 villages of 27 districts in Maharashtra till September 20. Out of the 11,251 infected livestock, 3,855 have recovered and the rest of the livestock are being treated.
According to an official statement, a total of 352 infected animals have died till September 20 in Maharashtra, which includes 122 in Jalgaon district, 33 in Ahmednagar, 12 in Dhule, 54 in Akola, 25 in Pune, 5 in Latur, 8 in Aurangabad, 15 in Satara, 25 in Buldhana, 29 in Amravati, 9 in Kolhapur, 2 in Sangli, 4 in Washim, 2 in Jalna, 3 each in Thane and Nagpur and 1 in Raigad.
A total of 49.83 lakh vaccine doses have been made available in the various districts of the state. “Vaccination has been carried out free of cost in 19.55 lakh animals within a 5-km radius of the infected area of villages. Vaccination is being done in ‘Gaushalas’ (cow shelters) and large dairies,” an animal husbandry department official said.
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According to Singh, farmers have been directed to avail free treatment and vaccinations for the infected cattle at doorstep by intimating the nearby government veterinary dispensaries about the disease symptoms.
Singh also asked grama panchayat and Nagar Parishad officers to carry out large scale public awareness against the disease. A fund of Rs 1 crore per district has been made available through the District Planning Committee for purchasing medicines needed in treatment of the disease, he said.
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