September 7, 2023

Lumpy skin disease detected in Surat district, Gujarat, India

Since August 25, the western Indian state of Gujarat's animal husbandry department has discovered four cattle deaths in Verkui village, Surat district, due to the lumpy skin disease, with 40 cases detected throughout the district, The Indian Express reported.

Earlier in August, more than 15 cattle, predominantly cattle and calves, were found dead under suspicious circumstances in Verkui village. In response, doctors from the district veterinary department and Sumul Dairy, an Indian dairy firm, visited the village to collect samples from 13 infected cattle. These samples were sent to a government laboratory in Ahmedabad for testing.

Recent developments have seen the testing of samples from four cattle that died since August 25 in Verkui, with the results confirming the presence of the lumpy skin disease virus.

Dr Hiren Bhimani, Deputy Director (Animal Husbandry) in the Surat District Panchayat, said that they have conducted a comprehensive survey in Verkui and the surrounding 36 villages, uncovering 40 cases of lumpy skin disease. Veterinary teams have been mobilised to monitor cattle daily, and four deaths have been recorded due to the virus in Verkui village since August 25.

Efforts are underway to raise awareness among cattle farmers with the assistance of Sumul Dairy's veterinary doctors' team. They have been instructed on the necessary steps to take, including isolating infected cattle and promptly notifying veterinary doctors or the village sarpanch. The ongoing survey team has already vaccinated over 10,000 of the 30,000 cattle in the district.

In an effort to reach out to cattle farmers in various villages, mobile vans have been deployed to disseminate essential information. The district's target is to vaccinate all cattle in the Mangrol district before September 15, according to Bhimani.

-      The Indian Express