Cattle disease in Mnquma

Ezile Binta

Lumpy skin, a disease that affects cattle, has had a devastating impact on farmers in the Mnquma Local Municipality in Centane, Nqamakwe, and Ndabakazi in Butterworth. This disease, which affects cattle, is brought on by a vector and is distinguished by the development of skin lumps and drooling. Viruses remain in the blood while the skin is lumpy, which makes it extremely deadly.

Research indicates that since it is contagious and infected, this makes treatment challenging. Lumpy skin results in low productivity for small-scale farmers and economic losses for farmers in the cattle business in the affected areas. Due to physical damage caused by the disease, milk production and meat quality in cattle are significantly reduced.

Lumpy tuberculosis, a dangerous member of the Genus Capripoxvirus in the family Poxviridae, is the cause of lumpy skin. All cattle varieties are impacted, but imported cattle like Holstein and Jersey dairy cows are especially essential because of the symptoms.

Saliva contains the virus, which causes skin rashes and illness transmission through water consumption and animal fighting.

Symptoms

Nasal congestion.

Decreased milk production.

Skin lesions on the legs and upper limbs can lead to serious, complicated infections.

Painful lesions develop on the cornea of one or both eyes leading to blindness.

Influenza is caused by a virus itself or a secondary bacterial infection and mastitis.

Abortion of cows.

Prevention methods

The best defence is vaccination of all animals.

Animal certification or full vaccination must be used to tightly control the conditions for transferring cattle into and out of the country.

To stop the disease from spreading in afflicted villages, animals need to be kept apart from other cattle.

After 28 days following vaccination, moving vaccinated animals through the prohibited region may be permitted.

Insecticides should be applied to cattle on a regular basis to prevent the disease from spreading.

Methods of vaccination

It is prohibited to vaccinate pregnant cows since there is only one vaccination for lumpy skin disease that uses live vaccine, which is dangerous. It is crucial to annually vaccinate all livestock and 6-month-old calves before the rainy season.

Cattle should be safeguarded for three weeks unless you inject 5ml under the skin. Once a cow develops this lumpy skin disease, it must be treated with 20ml of penicillin for three days, 10ml of an anti-inflammatory drug for three days, and 20ml of vitamin B for three days before being isolated. Use of summer dip on a weekly basis is crucial for farmers.