The Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform has confirmed an outbreak of lumpy skin disease and is encouraging cattle owners in the province to report cases of infected cattle.
Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle and buffalo that causes relatively low mortality. The disease can result in animal welfare issues and significant production losses. However, it does not affect humans.
Farmers in the Eastern Cape have reported cases of LSD. Masiza Mazizi, the spokesperson for the department MEC Nonkqubela Pieters, confirmed to Food For Mzansi the disease has spread on farms and communal areas in parts of the province
“The spread of the disease in the province and its severity is mild as death rates among cattle remain low.
“The cases of lumpy skin disease have been attended to and supportive therapy was implemented to minimise cattle death,” Mazizi said.
What you should know
Food For Mzansi asked the department if they had updated statistics available on LSD cases in the province. “Putting a number on the mortality is difficult to quantify at this stage. We can only make an informed estimate at the end of June,” Mazizi said.
“Not every death is reported by the farmers and recorded by the department. It’s also difficult to pinpoint the cause of death in the case of lumpy skin disease.”
The department, meanwhile, is advising all cattle owners to vaccinate their cattle.
“Calves of vaccinated cows under six months or those of infected cows are protected from infection. Reduce infection by vaccinating your cattle,” cautioned Mazizi.
Symptoms to look out for
Farmers can identify LSD in their cattle if there is a loss of appetite, body weight, low milk production, or if bulls are experiencing fertility problems.
When it comes to vaccines, Onderstepoort Biological Products warns that cattle may experience side effects.
“Some cattle may develop swelling at the site of injection from about the fourth day onward. These swellings may be very large but will disappear in time leaving no after-effects.
“Immunity starts to develop about 10 days after immunisation and animals should be fully protected after three weeks, however the vaccine does not necessarily confer absolute immunity to all animals,” OBP wrote on their website.
Vaccinated cattle should not be slaughtered for human consumption within 21 days of LSD vaccination.
“A temporary decrease in milk production [for cattle] may occur. A small percentage of cattle are naturally immune to lumpy skin disease virus and do not develop antibodies following vaccination.
“When this occurs, there is no colostral antibody production and the calves of these cows may be at risk from an early age.”
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