BENGALURU: Even as farmers are trying to come to terms with the destruction caused by heavy rain across the state, they are now facing a new challenge. Lumpy skin disease is spreading among cattle which has become a major cause for concern. In the last few weeks, Karnataka has witnessed 2,070 cattle deaths due to the disease, which has spread across 28 districts infecting 46,000 cattle.
What is more worrying is that the cattle infected with the disease are not showing symptoms on skin like before, but is instead spreading to their lungs and stomach. Karnataka is the third state after Maharashtra and Rajasthan, where the disease is fast spreading.
CM Basavaraj Bommai convened a meeting with Animal Husbandry Department officials and also directed the Finance Department to immediately release Rs 13 crore for treatment and vaccination of cattle, besides providing relief to farmers whose cattle have died.
The government is currently giving Rs 20,000 as compensation to farmers for death of cows and Rs 30,000 for oxen deaths. Bommai said a sum of Rs 2 crore has already been released as compensation, an additional Rs 5 crore will be released towards the treatment of the diseased cattle and Rs 8 crore for vaccinating them. The CM added that the disease has spread to 4,380 villages in 160 taluks in 28 districts. Of the total 45,645 infected cattle, 26,135 have recovered and 2,070 have died.
Most LSD cases not showing symptoms: Vet
Prof B M Veeregowda, Professor at Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University told The New Indian Express that though Karnataka witnessed its first case in 2020, in the last two years, a few cases were reported in a few districts. There was no death reported in the last two years. But the fatalities were reported this year, especially during the last couple of months.
Explaining further, Prof Veeregowda said, “In cases reported in the last few weeks, lumps are seen growing in the cattle’s stomach, lungs, throat and other internal organs which is not visible. The worrying factor is that, in many cases, there is in no sign or symptoms including fever. “Since it’s raining, water is stagnant at many places allowing mosquitoes and flies to breed faster. These flies and mosquitoes feed on infected cattle and fly to far away places, spreading the virus. This is why we are taking up ring vaccination which means all cattle within 5 km radius from the infected cattle will be vaccinated,” he added.
Prof Veeregowda also pointed out that infected cows are giving at least 10 to 20 per cent lesser milk than before, while infected oxen are finding it difficult to plough the field or work in farms.The CM also said that as many as 6.57 lakh cattle have been vaccinated. The vaccination must be done on a priority in the districts which are affected the most and 15 lakh doses of vaccine should be acquired from companies approved by Union government. Sources in the department, however, say it takes at least 15 days for vaccinated cattle to become immune.
PANIC AMONG PEOPLE
There is a fear spreading among people that drinking milk of infected cows can be harmful. At some places, people have stopped buying milk packets. However, some experts said that, so far, there is no evidence of lumpy skin disease spreading to human beings.