BAJAUR: The local livestock and dairy development department has finalised arrangements to launch a mass vaccination campaign against the fatal lumpy skin disease (LSD) as more than 200 cattle have died and over 1,800 got infected since the emergence of the ailment in Bajaur tribal district in May, a senior official told Dawn on Saturday.

Dr Mohammad Nazeer Khan said the drive would be launched from this week to help control the infection. He said teams comprising veterinarians and trained workers have been formed to visit across the district to administer vaccine and spray the cattle.

The official claimed his department was making all-out efforts to control the disease. He said mortality rate of the infection was up to 10 per cent, adding there was no harm in using milk and meat of the infected cattle.

He also rejected the notion that the livestock department was giving compensation to the affected farmers, saying there was no such initiative.

He requested the framers to play role in controlling the disease by properly burying the dead cattle.

Meanwhile, people of various areas told this correspondent that a large number of cattle had died from the infection. They said disease had badly affected the livestock sector in the district.

They urged the government to compensate all the affected farmers as they were unable to buy cows that priced between Rs150,000 to Rs300,000 in the market.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2022