By FRANCINA PHIRI –
MINISTRY of Livestock and Fisheries has urged livestock farmers in Luano District to procure vaccines for their cattle following the outbreak of lumpy skin cattle disease in the district.
Director of veterinary services Yona Sinkala said that the ministry had received a report that there was an outbreak of the lumpy skin cattle disease in Nkomesha Ward of Chief Kaundula’s chiefdom.
Mr Sinkala said that so far, only seven cows had been reported dead of suspected lumpy skin disease in Nkomesha Ward.
He said the outbreak was as a result of late vaccination of animals and that most farmers were reluctant when it came to protecting their animals.
Mr Sinkala said in an interview yesterday that lumpy skin disease was not as deadly as the African swine fever as it had vaccines which were readily available on the market.
He said the ministry had sent veterinary officers to the district to assess the situation and also sensitise the people on the importance of vaccinating their animals before the rain season.
“Livestock farmers must ensure that they protect their animals by buying the necessary vaccines so as to prevent them from any animal infection outbreak despite the vaccine being expensive,” Mr Sinkala said.
He said that the veterinary services had collected samples from animals and delivered them to Lusaka for laboratory tests and was awaiting results.
Mr Sinkala said that farmers should report any suspected cases of the disease to the department of veterinary services in good time so as to avoid deaths.
He said that livestock farmers should stop transporting animals to other parts of the district until the disease was contained to avoid spreading to the district.