There is an outbreak of lumpy skin diseases in Santhia Upazila of Pabna district. The number of infections is increasing day by day throughout the Upazila.
The cattle farmers of the Upazila are suffering loss due to the rise of lumpy skin disease. Almost 50 cows in various villages of the Upazila have recently died from the disease.
It was learnt that, two bulls of Abdus Sattar Khan, who is a resident of Kamarpara area in Atraishuka village of Santhia Upazila, have died due to lumpy skin disease recently. Abdus Sattar and his family are facing loss due to the death of their cows. Cows of Ershad Ali and Abdul Karim of Kalaichara village under Santhia municipality also died from this disease. The disease has spread among many cattle in that area.
Mawlana Habibur Rahman, resident of Kolaichora village, brought his cow to Santhia Veterinary Hospital on Monday. Skin eruptions were seen in the cow’s body, which is a characteristic of lumpy skin diseases. Cattle farmer Habibur Rahman said there is an outbreak of lumpy skin disease in the area. Two of his cows have already died. They are worried due to the disease. Moreover, a dairy cow of Abu Bakkar Pramanik and another dairy cow of Osman Pramanaki, both of whom are residents of Khanmahmudpur village of the upazila, have died recently due to lumpy skin disease.
It was learnt that, lumpy skin disease spread in the country around five years ago. The number of infection of the disease rises during June and July. When cattle are infected with this disease, they suffer from fever. The infected cattle need to be quarantined as well.
Meanwhile, Upazila Livestock Office cannot distribute vaccines among the cattle farmers as they are not produced by government. The cattle of unaware farmers are being infected due to that.
On the other hand, cattle farmers are buying the vaccines from the market with high price and administering them to their cattle as they cannot get it for free.
Manik Molla and Hasina Khatun, cattle farmers from Bishnubaria village, said they are concerned as cows in their neighbouring village have died. They bought vaccines from the market with Tk 2,500 and administered it too their cows. One vaccine can be administered to 10 cows, they said.
Santhia Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Md Jahurul Islam said cattle infected with lumpy skin disease have to be kept inside mosquito net. He also said that work is in progress to produce vaccines of lumpy skin disease.
The vaccines will be distributed among the cattle farmers when they are ready.
However, he advised to not to administer antibiotics and medicines to the cattle unnecessarily.
