JAMMU: Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Department, Atal Dulloo, chaired a meeting held to review the status of Lumpy Skin Disease in the Union Territory besides assessing mitigation measures being implemented to contain the malady at the civil secretariat.
It was apprised in the meeting that more than 96 percent of eligible cattle has been vaccinated against the LSD and the vaccination data is also being updated online. Besides, more than 72 thousand cattle, around 2.3 percent of the total population, have been affected in J&K. Encouragingly, the recovery rate of 90 percent and average fatality rate of around 4 percent (for Jammu and Kashmir divisions collectively) has been reported by the experts, it was highlighted.
ACS underlined the need to lower the mortality rate in the Kashmir division, along with regular uploading of respective data from all districts. He pressed for strict surveillance and also enquired about the availability of methylene blue, which is also an effective drug against the disease.
Experts from SKUAST advised that the farmers should continue giving recommended treatment to the infected animals for at least 10 days, post-recovery, to prevent death caused due to thromboembolism, i.e. blood clotting.
Technical Officer, Dr Arif, assured that the department is maintaining surveillance of all animals being imported into J&K and that sufficient stock of vaccines is available.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Agriculture, Director, Animal Husbandry Jammu/ Kashmir, Chief Animal Husbandry Officers, and other senior officers from all districts.
