TAXILA: The lumpy skin disease (LSD) has started spreading among livestock in various rural areas of Attock, especially Jand and Pindigheb, affecting a large number of animals especially cows and buffaloes.

The LSD, which had earlier spread in Sindh and southern Punjab, is the most dangerous viral disease that leads to a halt in breeding and causes death to animals.

The farmers feared that as Eidul Azha was around the corner the infected animals would not be sold out, causing financial losses to them.

They claimed that as the Livestock Department had failed to vaccinate the infected cattle, they were forced to purchase the same from the market which cost them Rs8,500 per vaccine.

The residents of Jand said the fatal disease was fast spreading in cattle but the authorities were least bothered to take proper steps for vaccination. They said some officials visited the area and took blood samples of the affected animals and administered vaccination to them but there were no proper arrangements to control the disease.

They appealed to the authorities concerned to initiate vaccination of their cattle against the disease or else it would spread to the entire district due to the massive transportation of livestock for the upcoming Eid.

The cattle growers and farmers have also asked the district administration and authorities of the Livestock Department to take practical steps for controlling the disease.

When contacted, Assistant Commissioner Adnan Anjum Raja said seven cases of lumpy skin disease had been reported in a village and all were vaccinated by the mobile teams of the Livestock Department.

He said the local administration, in collaboration with the department, was making efforts to cure the viral disease.

Attock Livestock Department Additional Director Dr Abdul Hameed said the disease had reached the area from nearby Chakwal and there was no epidemic situation as teams were fully active and monitoring the situation.

Responding to a question, he said there was no paucity of the vaccine and if the farmers had vaccinated the cattle on their own the department was not aware of it.

He said the department had been provided with vaccines to inoculate animals against the lumpy skin disease.

Published in Dawn,June 19th, 2022