Increasing vaccine coverage rates to control Lumpy Skin Disease on cattles

Over the last two weeks, Ha Tinh province has seen numerous reports of lumpy skin disease outbreaks on cows and buffaloes. According to Ha Tinh Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, five communes and wards in the province have reported outbreaks of lumpy skin disease on buffaloes and cows. These areas include Ngoc Son, Thach Xuan, Thach Ngoc communes in Thach Ha district,  Thach Linh ward in Ha Tinh city and Dau Lieu ward in Hong Linh town. Over 30 cattle have been reported to be infected with the disease.

Due to the extended wet and rainy weather that weakened cattle's resilience, the disease outbreak is extremely likely to expand much further. Traces of previously untreated diseases were also found in the livestock environment. Additionally, it is challenging to enforce biosecurity measures because most cattle were raised in modest livestock households

Mr. Phan Van Minh from Bac Tien village, Thach Ngoc commune, Thach Ha district admitted that the family's livestock farming conditions were not ideal. When his calf exhibited signs of sores on the legs, lumps over the body, Mr. Minh found it difficult to implement quarantine and disease treatment measures.

After reporting to the local authorities, the grassroots Animal Health Department promptly guided Mr. Minh to treat his sick calf. Additionally, the Animal Health Department arranged the sterilization of his barns as well as insecticides spraying to exterminate flies, mosquitoes, and ticks in the livestock environment.

The Animal Health sector recommends local governments across the country to expedite their vaccination schedule for lumpy skin disease on cattle. This is considered the most optimal solution to protect livestock and minimize the spread of lumpy skin disease.

According to Mr. Tran Viet Phuong, Director of the Center for Science and Technology Application and Plant and Animal Protection of Ha Tinh City, after the lumpy skin disease outbreak was first spotted in Thach Linh ward, the Center was requested to coordinate with wards and communes to examine the total herd as well as urge farmers to vaccinate their cattle against lumpy skin disease.

“Within just 5 days, we have reached a 70% vaccine coverage rate on buffaloes and cows. The city is striving to reach an average vaccination rate of at least 80%; On the other hand, we will continue to closely monitor the epidemic to establish suitable solutions", said Mr. Phuong.

Thach Ha district has vaccinated over 7,900 buffaloes and cows against the lumpy skin disease, accounting for over 60% of the total herd. Ngoc Son commune has also completed its vaccination process to localize and control the outbreak. The vaccination rate for the lumpy skin disease has surpassed 90% as of this writing.

According to Ms. Hoang Thi Ngoc Diep, Deputy Director of Ha Tinh Provincial Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, the province expects to vaccinate at least 188,000 buffaloes and cows against the lumpy skin disease during the first vaccination phase of 2023.

To this extent, local governments must livestock production households to coordinate with functional agencies and vaccinate their cattle with the correct dosage; check the total herd for additional vaccination as prescribed. Households must fully comply with the regulations on vaccination to protect their family's assets against diseases. The Provincial Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health will provide farmers with tools, supplies, vaccines and chemicals as proposed by districts and cities for disease prevention and control.

In addition to vaccination to localize and control the epidemic, it is necessary to strengthen the care and nursing work to restore the health of infected cattle; perform sterilization to exterminate vectors of disease transmission such as flies, mosquitoes, etc.

In April 2022, the AVAC LSD Live vaccine was approved by the Central Veterinary Diagnostic Center under the Department of Animal Health. This vaccine was qualifed for effective protection against the lumpy skin disease in the toxicology experiment. Antibody-positive cows (tested by commercial ELISA kit) were protected from the disease after vaccination. Antibody-negative cows exhibit mild clinical symptoms after vaccination and recover significantly faster compared to non-vaccinated cows.