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Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
A LUMPY skin outbreak has been detected in Masvingo Province with reports that about 50 cattle have died from the disease from about 617 cases reported from last month, an official confirmed.Masvingo Beef Association chairman Robert Makado told Chronicle that the situation has induced fear among farmers who do not have vaccines to protect their stock.
“We have received 49 cases of cattle deaths from lumpy skin and the figure could be more than that. About 95 percent of the province has been affected and we call for government intervention to assist farmers,” Makado said.
He said the outbreak has affected six districts with Mwenezi being the worst hit.
“We’re calling for government support because those affected are mostly peasant farmers. Six out of seven districts have been affected with the most affected being Mwenezi and Masvingo Rural,” he said.
“Gutu is the only district without any case of lumpy skin but fears are that it can soon experience the same problem as the disease has spread to Zimuto, which borders with Gutu.”
He said Chivi District has reported four cases with suspicions that the beasts could have strayed from outside the district. Masvingo provincial veterinary officer, Dr Earnest Dzimwasha, confirmed the outbreak saying the situation was severe.
He said statistics received could be far less than what is on the ground, adding that the disease was posing a threat to the one million provincial herd.
Dr Dzimwasha called on farmers to vaccinate their animals against the disease and that those that have already been affected should seek treatment.
“The disease may come in two forms, which is mild skin form and severe lung form. Cattle that will be affected by the lung form will die from pneumonia.
“We urge farmers to vaccinate their cattle on time and those that have been affected should seek treatment for their animals,” said Dr Dzimwasha.
He said the best time to vaccinate cattle was in September.
“This is done as a preventive measure against a number of diseases besides lumpy skin. Cattle should be protected against black leg, anthrax and lumpy skin but a number of farmers don’t do this,” he added.
Lumpy skin is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes particularly during the rainy season. Symptoms include fever, discharge from the eyes and nose, skin lesions, edema of the limbs, and swollen lymph nodes.
Dr Dzimwasha said lumpy skin vaccines were available and cost a dollar per dose. He added that farmers should seek assistance from the veterinary extension workers deployed in their respective districts.
“Farmers have to buy their vaccines and extension officers will assist in injecting. The disease is curable,” he said.
Online Reporter