Urgent vaccination for cattle against lumpy skin disease virus

Immediately use of Lumpyvac vaccine

According to the official dispatch No.1076 sent to the People's Committees of provinces and cities on February 24, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien emphasized the immediate use of Lumpyvac vaccine among cows and buffaloes, based on the Veterinary Law and guiding documents, to control the widespread of the disease among cattle.

Vaccinated subjects are given priority to buffaloes and cows in areas where the disease has appeared and that are at high risk, in addition to provinces whose geographical scope is about 100km away from the epidemic area.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development requests authorised units to organise emergency vaccination against lumpy skin disease on buffaloes and cows.

Immediately use of Lumpyvac vaccine

According to the Department of Animal Health, there have been 81 outbreaks of lumpy disease in 38 districts of 15 provinces and cities, with a total of 805 infected buffaloes and cows, 63 of which have been destroyed since October 2020.

Currently there are 42 outbreaks nationwide in 17 districts of 8 provinces; the total infected cattle is 771 and the number of cattle destroyed is 39.

Ha Tinh province was the most affected area, with 27 outbreaks and 464 animals infected.

The Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that the initial evaluation of the effectiveness of vaccines against lumpy skin disease revealed that the buffaloes and cows have remained healthy and unsick after being vaccinated for two weeks.

Thus, the vaccines used in the pilot programme against the lumpy skin disease have been proved to be safe and effective.

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has directed Amavet Veterinary Medicine Joint Stock Company to import 50,000 doses of vaccine urgently, including 10,000 doses of Lumpyvac vaccine from Turkey, 20,000 doses of LumpyShield vaccine from Jordan;

Dong Phuong Veterinary Company Limited has also been asked to import 20,000 doses of Mevac LSD vaccine from Egypt to pilot vaccination and anti-epidemic in 8 provinces (Son La, Ha Giang, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, Hoa Binh, Ninh Binh, Ha Tinh and Quang Tri) and on some dairy farms.

According to reports from localities,  more than 27,000 buffalos and cows have been vaccinated until to now. As a result, the vaccinated cattle have not suffered from lumpy skin disease.

In particular, the number of buffalos and cows have developed antibodies to the lumpy skin disease virus after 28, 35, and 42 days being injected with Lumpyvac vaccine from Turkey.

Particularly, the buffaloes and cows that received LumpyShield vaccine from Jordan and Mevac LSD vaccine from Egypt now have positive results after 28 days of vaccination.

Their samplings will continue to be taken after 35 and 42 days of vaccination to evaluate the effectiveness of the vaccines before their recommendation and instructions for use are given.