August 28, 2023

Over 15 cattle suspected to die from LSD in Gujarat, India village

Over 15 cattle, mostly cows and calves, are suspected to have died from lumpy skin disease (LSD) at Verkui, a village in Surat district's (Gujarat, India) Mangrol taluka, in the last 15 days, The Indian Express reported on August 26.

Sources said some cattle have also died in Boriya village in the taluka under suspicious circumstances.

Doctors from the district panchayat veterinary department and Sumul Dairy visited Verkui to take samples of 13 infected cattle. Officials said that in the past one week, the village had witnessed over four suspicious cattle deaths.

Dr. Himanshu Kawani of the district panchayat veterinary department said that the collected samples will be sent to Ahmedabad for testing.

"At present, it is difficult to (determine) how many have died due to lumpy skin disease," he said. "The sick cattle are being treated and we have told cattle owners to keep them in isolation and observation for seven days. Our teams will daily visit both villages to monitor the situation."

Sumul Dairy veterinary department head Dr. Rajnish Jadav said that teams have been on alert since the start of monsoon, as this is when LSD cases are reported.

"Our teams have started vaccination drive in different villages in Surat and Tapi districts," he said.

"Over 600 cattle in Verkui village have been vaccinated," said Sumul Dairy board member Jayesh Patel.

- The Indian Express