90% cattle vaccinated against lumpy skin disease in Punjab, says minister

Punjab's animal husbandry department is close to achieving 100 per cent vaccination of the 2.5 mn cattle in the state against lumpy skin disease (LSD) and has inoculated more than 2.2 mn of them

Punjab's animal husbandry department is close to achieving 100 per cent vaccination of the 25 lakh cattle in the state against lumpy skin disease (LSD) and has inoculated more than 22 lakh of them.

In an official statement issued on Saturday, Animal Husbandry Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said the vaccination drive is nearing completion ahead of the April 30 deadline.

"The vaccination drive for early protection of cattle from LSD was initiated on a war footing on February 15, 2023 with 773 dedicated veterinary teams of the animal husbandry department," he said.

"We have completed 90 per cent vaccination till date, with more than 22,58,300 cattle already vaccinated," the minister said, adding the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government has set a target of vaccinating all the 25 lakh cattle in the state under this mega campaign.

Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Vikas Pratap said the department had set a daily target of administering 40,000 vaccine doses and has achieved it successfully.

So far, nine districts -- Barnala, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Moga, Muktsar Sahib, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Patiala, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar and Sangrur -- have completed 100 per cent vaccination coverage, he said.

Four districts have achieved 90 per cent vaccination coverage and it is around 80 per cent in the remaining 10 districts, he added.

These 14 districts will complete the vaccination within April, Pratap said, expressing satisfaction over the pace of the vaccination drive.

LSD is a viral disease that spreads among cattle through mosquitoes, flies, lice and wasps through direct contact, contaminated food and water. The disease causes fever and nodules on the skin and can be fatal.