An overall declining trend is being seen in the number of lumpy skin disease (LSD) cases in Maharashtra, state Animal Husbandry Commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh told The Indian Express.
Till November 2, the spread of LSD has been noticed in 3,262 villages in 33 districts. Out of 1,84,616 infected livestock, 1,22,449 livestock have recovered after treatment and the rest are being treated, officials in the animal husbandry department said.
Singh, who has been visiting Phulambri and Sillod talukas of Aurangabad, Bhokardan and Jafrabad talukas of Jalna and affected areas in Buldhana district, told The Indian Express that there was a criticality in some parts but overall there was a declining trend.
Maharashtra has completed vaccinating 97.62% cattle and a compensation of Rs 9.01 crore has been paid to 3,480 people whose cattle died in the LSD outbreak, officials said.
Lumpy skin disease is a cutaneous viral disease of bovines. This disease is not transmitted to human beings either from animals or through cow milk and is found in bovines only. Samples for genome sequencing of the Lumpy Skin Disease virus have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) and reports are expected in the second week of November. The reports will reveal the mutations at the genetic level of the virus.
To assess and evaluate the immunity produced by the vaccine, pre-vaccination serum samples and 7-, 14-, 21- and 28-day post-vaccination samples from two villages each from seven divisions are being submitted to the National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics in Bengaluru, animal husbandry officials said. These reports are also expected in the second week of November.
Meanwhile, various districts have received a total of 140.97 lakh vaccine doses. Vaccination has been carried out free of cost in 136.58 lakh animals. Vaccination has been completed in Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Dhule, Akola, Aurangabad, Beed, Osmanabad, Kolhapur, Sangli, Solapur, Jalna, Washim, Hingoli, Nandurbar and Mumbai suburban districts, officials said.
Singh has appealed to farmers and Gram Panchayats to follow insect vector control, disinfection and isolation guidelines published by Maharashtra Animal and Fisheries Science University on October 7 in the form of a campaign.
Government and private veterinary practitioners have been asked to treat animals infected with Lumpy Skin Disease as per the revised protocol of Maharashtra Animal and Fisheries Science University dated October 17. Farmers have been urged to avail free treatment and vaccinations for their affected cattle at their doorstep, by giving intimation of the disease symptoms to nearby government veterinary dispensaries and extending cooperation to local veterinarians in the treatment of these ailing animals.