Explained: The lumpy skin disease affecting cows in Rajasthan

Hundreds of cows infected with the lumpy skin disease have been dying in Rajasthan for the past couple of months. According to several media reports, the highly contagious disease that can affect cows and buffaloes has been spreading like COVID for two months_._ The rapid spread of the disease has put the Animal Husbandry Department on high alert since the death of the cows is directly affecting milk production, the brunt of which is faced by cattle herders. The disease has spread in Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jalore, Pali, Jodhpur and Bikaner districts. Here’s what you need to know about the deadly lumpy skin disease. What is lumpy skin disease? Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a viral disease that infects cows and buffaloes. Although, the disease has relatively low mortality rate, it can create animal welfare issues and can lead to production losses. A vector-borne disease, it spreads through insects like certain species of flies, mosquitoes and even ticks. LSD can also spread via contaminated equipment and in some cases through animal-to-animal contact. The disease does not pose a risk to humans. Symptoms include fever, nodules on the skin that can also lead to death. LSD is more fatal to those animals that haven’t been exposed to the virus before. According to a report by DownToEarth, the lumps gradually open up to expose large and deep wounds. In many cases, the disease can create watery eyes and increase nasal and salivary secretions. LSD was first discovered in Africa in 1929. For a long time, it remained confined in the country but in recent times LSD has spread beyond the territories of Africa. In 2015, it was found in Turkey and Greece. How can it be treated? Vaccination drives in southern European countries have effectively controlled the outbreak of LSD but in other areas the success rate of vaccines has not been impressive. According to Australia’s Department of Agriculture, the complete eradication of the disease is difficult. As per a report by Business Line, the Gujarat government has recently started vaccinating cattle against LSD. How has the state government responded? A number of cattle herders have blamed the Rajasthan government for not taking adequate measures to prevent the spread of the disease, according to Times of India. The rapid spread of the disease has put the Animal Husbandry Department on high alert since the death of the cows is directly affecting milk production, the brunt of which is faced by cattle herders. The joint director of the Animal Husbandry Department in Barmer, Dr Ratanlal Jinagar said that the department should issue an advisory for prevention from the disease. Meanwhile, Barmer’s district collector has directed to set up a control room at the district headquarters. All block level local officers have been instructed to conduct surveys in the area. What are the economic repercussions of the disease? According to The Arunachal Times, the economic implications of the disease can be severe due to its high morbidity rate. Herders can face significant losses due to infertility in male and female cows, weight loss, drop in milk production and abortions that are the caused by the disease. Last month, Pakistan met with a serious threat as a result of an outbreak of the disease. According to The Print, more than 570 cows had died in the province of Sindh. The crisis impacted Pakistan’s livestock industry which contributes about 11 per cent of the country’s GDP. This added more pressure to an already faltering economy of Pakistan. LSD infects cows in Gujarat too Cattle in the neighbouring state of Gujarat have not been spared by the disease. Thousands of cows have been hit by the lumpy skin disease in Saurashtra and Kutch. According to a report by Times of India, Kutch is the most affected region followed by Jamnagar and Porbandar districts. Estimates suggest that around 27,000 cows have been infected in Kutch alone in the past month. Ghanshyam Thakker, president of Bhuj municipality said that they are disposing off 70-80 cow carcasses daily. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.