Jhapa: More than 10,000 cattle have been infected with Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in a year in the district. In recent months, 142 infected cattle have died.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Shital Bhattarai, the chief of the Veterinary Hospital and Animal Service Technical Centre in Jhapa, vaccination campaigns are ongoing in all 15 local levels in the district to control the disease.
So far, 58,000 animals have been vaccinated in the district. Bhattarai also shared that the highest cases were recorded in Mechinagar Municipality and Bahradashi Rural Municipality. The infection of Lumpy Skin Disease is spreading with the rise in temperature. “The disease spreads due to the bites of mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and other insects,” she added, “We are conducting a free vaccination campaign reaching every farmer’s shed for disease control.”
Moreover, 77,500 doses of vaccine have arrived in the district from the Department of Livestock and Fishery Development. The affected cattle show symptoms such as fever, lumps in various parts of the body and internal layers, fluid emanating from the lumps, and abscess formation.
Bhattarai further shared that this problem was not observed in cattle that were vaccinated in the past, indicating that the risk is significant only in newly born calves and imported cattle. In the current fiscal year 2081/82, observations were conducted at 72 farms in the district to address infertility issues in cattle by organizing integrated camps.
During this period, 13 households claimed damages to livestock due to natural disasters. Based on those claims, the office has been providing relief amounts ranging from Rs 6,000 to 78,000.