The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
CATTLE farmers should start vaccinating their livestock to protect against lumpy skin disease before the forthcoming rainy season, the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) has said.
Lumpy skin is a viral deadly disease that is spread by mosquitoes, which are usually prevalent during the rainy season.
The disease causes fever, discharge from the eyes and nose, skin lesions, oedema of the limbs, and swollen lymph nodes in livestock, particularly cattle.
VSD chief director, Dr Josphat Nyika, said:
“Prevention is better than cure, farmers need to act before we lose our much-needed livestock by vaccinating their herds while they are still strong and fit.
“Lumpy skin is not a disease you can treat when an animal has been infected. The only best thing to do is to vaccinate.”
Lumpy skin disease is common in Zimbabwe and other southern and eastern African countries.
Last year, Matabeleland South province was hardest hit by the disease.
