The Veterinary Services Department (VSD) has urged farmers to start vaccinating their livestock to protect them against lumpy skin disease before the forthcoming rainy season.
VSD chief director, Dr Josphat Nyika, said lumpy skin disease cannot be treated but is preventable through vaccination. He said:
Prevention is better than cure, farmers need to act before we lose our much-needed livestock by vaccinating their herds while they are still strong and fit.
Lumpy skin is not a disease you can treat when an animal has been infected. The only best thing to do is to vaccinate.
According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Lumpy skin disease is a viral disease that affects cattle.
It is transmitted by blood-feeding insects, such as certain species of flies and mosquitoes, or ticks.
It causes fever, and nodules on the skin and can also lead to death, especially in animals that have not previously been exposed to the virus.
Control options include vaccinations and culling of infected animals. | The Sunday Mail
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