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Haryana issues lumpy skin disease advisory as suspected cases emerge
The animal husbandry and dairying department’s advisory lays down a series of measures to prevent the spread of the viral disease, including immediate isolation of sick animals from healthy cattle
Prefer HTon Google
Amid reports of rise in suspected cases of lumpy skin disease (LSD) among cows in Haryana, the authorities have stepped up surveillance for the highly contagious disease.
The animal husbandry and dairying department’s advisory lays down a series of measures to prevent the spread of the viral disease, including immediate isolation of sick animals from healthy cattle, restrictions on animal movement from affected areas and intensified clinical surveillance.
According to Prem Singh , director general Haryana animal husbandry and dairying department, the advisory calls for ring vaccination around affected villages and preventive vaccination in high-risk areas. It states that cattle and buffaloes aged four months and above may be vaccinated with the available goat pox vaccine, while infected animals should not be vaccinated.
Authorities have also been advised to intensify vector control as the disease is transmitted through arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes, flies and ticks. Regular disinfection of animal holdings, vehicles and other premises has been recommended, along with the use of insecticides and repellents to reduce vector populations, he said.
The advisory further recommends keeping infected animals separately until recovery, avoiding common grazing and restricting the movement and trade of livestock from affected areas. Cattle markets within a 10-km radius of the infection epicentre should be closed, while participation in fairs and animal shows in affected areas should be prohibited after confirmation of the disease.
According to the information, following suspected cases in several districts samples from the infected animals have been sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal for confirmation.
Samples have so far been collected by Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS) from several districts following complaints of cattle showing symptoms suspected to be LSD. It is worth mentioning here that the state had witnessed the outbreak of the LSD in 2022 as the state animal husbandry department reported around 31,000 animals have got infected, while the state had witnessed around 3000 deaths.
