Lump skin and foot-and-mouth diseases co-occur in cows

According to the Agricultural Service Center of Binh Son district, from January 10, 2023, lump skin disease started in Binh Trung and Binh Chuong communes, with an initial number of 23 cows infected. The disease has now spread to 11 other communes, with 112 cows in 103 households showing symptoms. Of these, 11 have died, 14 have recovered, and the rest continue receiving treatment.

Mr. Huynh Van Lam's family (residing in Xuan Yen Dong village, Binh Hiep commune, Binh Son district) has  3 out of 4 cows suffering from lump skin disease. Mr. Lam said that his entire herd of cows had previously been vaccinated, but the cows were still infected.

"After discovering this, I informed the commune veterinary to check, handle, follow instructions, and clean the cows twice daily. Simultaneously, I also spread lime powder to disinfect and prevent the disease from spreading to the cows of surrounding families. However, up to now, one cow in the herd has died, and only one has slightly reduced symptoms, "said Mr. Lam.

In addition to the lumpy skin disease, there are many more cows with foot-and-mouth disease in Binh Son district. These two diseases appear at the same time, causing farmers here to stand still.

Mrs. Vo Thi Ngoc Ha's family (Xuan Yen Tay village, Binh Hiep commune, Binh Son district) has eight cows. Seven of them have foot-and-mouth disease. The other 1 has a skin rash with severe symptoms.

"With the foot-and-mouth disease that has appeared for many years, our people also have experience in treatment. And the lump skin disease does not know how to treat it. I have used both veterinary and male medicine, but the effect is not high. The cow is a great asset for our people, so when I see the whole herd getting sick like that, I often stay outside the barn every day for treatment." Mrs. Ha shared.

According to Mrs. Ha, up to now, her cows have been sick for more than one and a half months, and the cost of medicine is nearly 8 million VND. Now, her family only hopes that the competent authorities will support vaccines and effective drugs so that people will not be harmed and avoid further spreading.

According to Binh Son District Agricultural Service Center, foot-and-mouth disease has appeared in 3 communes, including Binh Chanh, Binh Phuoc and Binh Hiep, with 38 cows infected. For this disease, since the beginning of the year, the number of vaccinated cows has not been much, along with the rainy weather and high humidity, so in the upcoming time, there will likely be a risk of further spreading.

Mr. Ngo Van Thanh, Deputy Director of Binh Son District Agricultural Service Center, said that after detecting the disease in the local cow herd, this unit took the initiative and coordinated with the People's Committees of the communes to conduct an inspection, zoning the outbreak, providing vaccines and chemicals for vaccination, and encircling and disinfecting the environment in epidemic areas, guide people to take care and prevent the spread of disease.

The center has provided 250 liters of Rebencid chemical, 1,900 doses of lump skin vaccine and 5,100 doses of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine from the province's allocation to communes and towns for vaccination, disinfection and sterilization of livestock barns. Provide 12,200 doses for lump skin disease from the district budget, commune budget and socialization to communes and towns to implement vaccination.

"The Center has requested the Quang Ngai Provincial Sub-Department of Livestock and Animal Health to strengthen inspection and supervision of establishments raising, collecting, trading, transporting, slaughtering and trading livestock, poultry and livestock products in the area, promptly detect and handle outbreaks and violations in disease prevention and control. Besides, it is recommended that the Provincial People's Committee change the unit price of wages to support people who directly vaccinate. Because the unit price of vaccination is too low compared to reality, not attracting people to participate in vaccination; soon settle funding support for breeders whose cattle are culled; studying and promulgating a mechanism and allocating funds to deal with some frequent incidents that occur during the vaccination process, supporting the grassroots veterinary force to participate in vaccination work", Mr. Thanh said.