A team of expert scientists constituted from Faculty of Veterinary Sciences-R.S.Pura under the able guidance of Prof. J.P.Sharma, Honorable Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-Jammu revisited Shri Ram Goushalla, Babiliana, Jammu for animal health checkup. The expert team comprised of Dr. R.K.Bhardwaj, Associate Professor, Medicine and Dr. A.K.Pandey, Associate Professor, Veterinary Gynecology & Obstetrics under the leadership of Dr. M.S.Bhadwal, Dean, F.V.Sc & A.H-R.S.Pura.
Team examined 160 animals for their health status and found 30 animals having characteristic skin lesion similar to the Lumpy skin disease (LSD). Since, an outbreak of skin disease among dairy animals from various districts of the Jammu division has been reported. These animals were also tentatively diagnosed to be suffering from lumpy skin disease.
Lumpy skin disease is an infectious viral disease caused by the Capripox virus of Poxviridae family. The virus spreads from animal to animal through vectors like mosquitoes, ticks, flies etc. These vectors bite the infected animals and then transmit the disease to healthy animals. It was firstly observed among crossbred cattle from Bishnah of Jammu in the month of May, 2022 and spreaded rapidly with the onset of monsoon and increase in the population of vectors and now has affected animals in many districts of the Jammu division like Jammu, Reasi, Poonch, Samba, Rajouri, Udhampur and Kathua.
The major symptoms of the disease include multiple nodules all over the body, swelling of limbs and lymph nodes, fever, lameness, decreased milk production, discharges from the eyes and nose, edema, pneumonia, and abortion in pregnant animals. The disease generally affects around 20-30% of animals with a death rate of 1-5%.
Management of Goushalla was advised to separate the affected animals and treatment was prescribed according to severity of LSD in animals. They were also advised to take all preventive measures like control of flies, mosquitoes by using insect repellants and growing insect repellant plants around the sheds of Goushalla. Besides that, other Goushallas which are provided regular health service by the team of expert scientists from the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & A.H, SKUAST-Jammu has passed instructions about the adoption of preventive measures for control of the recent outbreak and pamphlets in the Hindi language on LSD has been shared to create awareness among goushallsa through WhatsApp. Meanwhile, It is advised to restrict the movement of animals to prevent further spread of disease to other areas. Affected animals should be isolated and treated at home under the supervision of qualified Veterinarians.
It was also told that LSD is not transmitted to humans and boiled milk intake is quite safe for humans. A team of scientists from SKUAST-Jammu will be is regularly visiting different Goushalla of Jammu as per their schedule to provide health care and advisories.
