Firdous Hassan
Srinagar: More than 600 cases of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) have been detected in Kashmir.
The government has activated veterinary offices and laboratories to contain the spread of the viral infection.
LSD is a viral disease that affects cattle. It is transmitted by flies, mosquitoes, and ticks which act as vectors. It causes fever and skin lumps. It affects milk production among animals. The mortality rate of the disease is not high. But its economic cost is huge. Animals infected with LSD are unable to produce enough milk. Even after they are cured of infection, they are unable to produce enough milk.
Farooq Ahmad Najar, administration head at Jammu and Kashmir Milk Producers Co-operative Ltd (JKMPCL) said they are providing free-of-cost medicine to the farmers for treating animals.
“Wherever we get reports of any case, we supply medicine free of cost. Right now, the intensity of the disease is not that much in Kashmir. We have had few cases from Pattan,” he said.
Najar said precautionary de-worming tablets have been provided to 1820 dairy co-operatives in the union territory.
“All the farmers who are registered with the dairy co-operatives will be given precautionary de-worming tablets as well. We have dairy co-operatives in 15 districts. We are taking initiatives to contain the spread of the disease,” he said.
Officials said unlike the rest of the states, Jammu and Kashmir has not witnessed any drop in milk production.
Najar said as much as 1.5 lakh liters of milk is being produced in Jammu and Kashmir every day.
“Milk production in Jammu and Kashmir has not been affected. Despite many areas being affected, we continue to receive almost 1.5 lakh liters of milk on daily basis,” he said.
Director Animal Husbandry Purnima Mittal told The Kashmir Monitor that the impact of the Lumpy Skin disease is very less in the valley compared to the rest of the states.
Another official said that infrastructure has been created to contain the spread of the virus among the cattle.
Pertinently, the Jammu administration has banned the movement of cattle to prevent the spread of the Lumpy skin disease (LSD).
As per the advisory, the movement and transportation of dairy animals from one place to another have been banned. “The movement of all trucks, tractor trolleys, and other vehicles carrying animals, cattle in and out or within the district shall be stopped with immediate effect”, the advisory stated.
