Farmers and veterinary doctors in the district are heaving a sigh of relief with the viral lumpy skin disease among cattle beginning to subside. As the disease has come under control, milk production is unlikely to be hit significantly.
A senior Veterinary Department official said that there were 359 confirmed cases of lumpy skin disease in the district till Saturday, but the intensity of its spread was showing signs of slackening.
According to the official, vaccination has been intensified. Nearly 2,000 animals have been vaccinated, and 20,000 doses of vaccines had arrived in the district last week.
It will be possible to vaccinate all vulnerable animals in a short span, the official said.
The disease has been confirmed in animals in Kothamangalam, Varappetty, Nellikkuzhy, Mookkannoor, Pothanikkad, Kuttampuzha, Kizhakkambalam, Rayamangalam, Chellanam, Pindimana, and Maneed.
The first symptoms of the disease were noticeable in the last week of January. Some cases were reported on January 24. However, the disease was confirmed only in early February. Though the disease has not led to high mortality rate, morbidity could hit milk production.
Meanwhile, Milma officials claimed that lumpy skin disease had resulted in a drop in milk production. The cooperative had reported a shortfall in milk production across the State. The situation had been compounded by the inability of the cooperative to source milk from neighbouring States like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka where supplies were held up due to high prices. Milma chairman P.A. Balan had said the procurement was around 11.5 to 12 lakh litres a day, whereas the actual requirement was around 13 lakh litres a day. The Kozhikode region is showing some surplus production, while Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram regions are running short on milk production.
