Srinagar: Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), an infectious viral disease among cattle, is continuing to affect more cattle for the second consecutive year, worrying the farmers in Kashmir.
The farmers who spoke to the news agency KNO said while the mortality rate of LSD is not high, the animals infected with the disease cannot produce enough milk even after they are cured.
They said the livelihood of thousands of families is directly or indirectly dependent on cattle rearing.
Mohammad Ayoub, a farmer from Pulwama, said he has two cows, and both were infected with the disease. Although they have recovered, their milk production has been reduced, he said.
Ayoub noted that despite a low mortality rate, the infection weakens cows, making them unable to produce milk, which affects his income.
Another farmer, Abdul Hamid, said his cow, which he depended on for his livelihood, died of LSD. Hundreds of farmers, he said, have lost their cows hitting a blow to their economy.
Farmers are asking the government to compensate them for the loss of their cattle and to vaccinate all cattle.
A top official of Animal Husbandry Kashmir told KNO that 2,078 cases of Lumpy Skin Disease have been reported this year, 83 of which resulted in the death of the cattle.
Pulwama and Budgam districts have been severely impacted. However, no cases have been reported in the Baramulla and Kupwara districts of north Kashmir.
The official also said that the vaccination process is ongoing, and to date, around 8,78,977 vaccines have been given to cattle in different parts of the valley. “Surplus vaccines are available everywhere and the vaccination process is ongoing,” he said.
Last year, around 18,000 cases of LSD and 1,300 deaths were reported in Kashmir.
