The vaccine necessary for a fast spreading Bovine disease in Sri Lanka is to be brougt down from the United Kingdom in February. The vaccine will be expected to prevent the lumpy skin disease caused by the Capripox virus that has affected nearly 10 000 cattle in Sri Lanka.
According to the State Minister of Livestock, Farm Promotion, and Dairy and Egg-Related Industries D.B. Herath the cost of one vaccine would be Rs. 700.
However Secretary to the State Ministry of Livestock, Farm Promotion, and Dairy and Egg-Related Industries S. Senanayake said the vaccine would be provided free of charge to farmers. He said discussions are also being held to provide compensation or to establish an insurance scheme for farmers who have been affected due to this disease,” said Senanayake.
According to the report submitted to the State Minister this week the lumpy skin disease has currently been identified in 22 districts, where 13,104 cows had been infected with the virus. Although only about 40% of cows face infection, and only 5% succumb to the disease, milk production is affected as the cows undergo a loss of appetite.
Thus, Herath said that the decision to import the vaccine was taken to overcome this barrier to milk production.
The first suspected case of the virus was reported in October 2020 from Kopai, Jaffna, after which blood samples were sent to a laboratory in England, where it was determined that the virus was that which causes the lumpy skin disease.
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