Vaccination starts to prevent animals from Lumpy skin

The Livestock Department in Rawalpindi has started the routine vaccination of animals to prevent cattle Lumpy skin disease.

According to a statement issued on Sunday, Deputy Director Livestock Rawalpindi Dr Sadia Ali started the campaign under the supervision of Director Breed Improvement Dr Ehtishamul Haq from Buffalo Colony Dhok Major.

Dr Sadia said the vaccine was being administered to animals free of charge and requested the farmers and livestock keepers to cooperate with the vaccinators for protecting their valuable animals.

Earlier, the Punjab government had provided a Rs 1.5 billion grant to prevent the second possible wave of lumpy skin disease in animals across Punjab.

Director of Livestock and Dairy Development Rawalpindi Division, Dr Sarfraz Ahmed Chatta, told APP that the Punjab government had provided around 6 million doses of vaccination to control the virus effectively.

“Lumpy skin virus causes disease in cattle and some wild animals, reducing milk production, abortion and barrenness in animals,” he said adding that the disease was not transmissible to humans and milk and meat were safe for humans if used according to hygiene principles.—APP