Is it safe to drink milk amidst the prevalence of Lumpy skin disease in cattle? Animal Husbandry Department has not issued any circular stating whether to intake milk or not during this outbreak of disease
Mohd Irfan
As milk is considered to be very important basic amenity for the human consumption as such if the cattle from we get the Milk suffering from the Lumpy disease whether intake of Milk is prone to risk or not. As the Animal Husbandry department which is entrusted with the Job of maintenance of Cattles so far not given any circular in the media in order to sensitise the Public at large whether to drink Milk Or not. As Milk used to be intake from new born ones till old aged persons as such it is, part and parcel of our life. But due to no clarity to drink milk when Cattles suffering from this Lumpy disease this has left the public caught in a tizzy as whether to take the milk or not.
Experts opined that Lumpy disease in Cattles occurred due to viral infections and the mortality rate in this disease is not too high. As this lumpy disease is prevalent for the last several months across UT of Jammu and Kashmir resultant there in their erupted fear psychosis amongst the masses as they apprehensive of risk to intake Milk.
People rued that first covid deadly pandemic which wreaked havoc across the globe in general and UT of Jammu and Kashmir in particular which consumed precious lives of the masses and now this Lumpy disease in Cattles haunted us now given the increase in cases of lumpy disease in the Cattles.
Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) need to aware the masses about the fallout of this lumpy disease in Cattles as it has also been become talk of the town that it is not reasonable to drink Milk in the midst of this lumpy virus suffered by the Cattles, says a social worker.
“There is, need for the department that they should published in both electronic and print media by way of advertisement apprised the public whether to drink Milk or not as it is mandatory for the department at the earliest to do the same in the interest of the public at large after all Milk is the essential commodity as such there needs for the department to act before it’s too late”, he added.
Reports reveal that in Jammu about 7000 cases of Lumpy disease has been detected so far and sixty-nine cattle died, this official data, and actual number certainly beyond our imagination. These cattle due to lumpy disease their quantity of milk also decreased and on the body of these Cattles nodules like pores which indicated that the Cattles developed lumpy disease. This infection spreads through infected flies, mosquitoes when these insects sit on the infected Cattles and these insects then sit on the cattle and spread infection.
Dr Altaf Ali Syed CAHO said, “This is viral disease is caused by pox virus. This is caused by Sheeps, cows and cattle.”
“So far as the symptoms of this Lumpy disease is concerned Animals faces fever, water from the eyes, water ooze out from the noose, body get swollen and nodules get developed on the body. It’s a vector borne disease meaning thereby that insects sucking disease that is Mosquitoes, the fly, ants through them this lumpy disease spread as and when these infected insects sucked the blood of animals and then sit on other cattle it infected other cattle also. Even there takes place reduction in the quantity of the milk of these animals but those animals whose immunity is weak there Milk get reduced”, he added.
How, many animals so far infected in Jammu and how many get died, Dr Altaf divulged about 7000 animals infected so far and sixty-nine died. Animals in border areas get mostly affected of this lumpy disease. About 70℅ animals from border areas get affected and there is about 60℅ recovery rate and 1% mortality rate, he maintained.
When asked how much time will it take for this disease to lower down it’s very intensity, Dr Altaf categorically cited the reason of present climate being the reason for the increase in the cases of lumpy disease under this monsoon season adding, as the climate changed there takes place reduction in the cases of lumpy disease because in this monsoon mosquitoes, insects have a brooding ground as such this disease spread in the cattle, he asserted.
Panic gripped amongst the consumers as they apprehensive of risk to drink Milk, Dr Altaf allay the fears and said there is no need to fear adding, about 70℅ of the virus get died on boiling as such no chance that milk of the Cattles being risky to intake the same. As the virus host on Cows, Cattles, Sheeps as such they infected them and zoonotic diseases not transferred to humans. Firstly about ten cases reported in border areas because there in at last stage when the Cattles infected to greatest extent then came to fore as such couldn’t able to get treated them. R. S Pura, Akhnoor, Khour, Suchetgarh, Arnia etc are border areas are mostly affected. Elaborating further, he said, “Even department has launched a toll free no 18001807205 for all the Cattles rearers, farmers etc they can call on this toll-free no and avail the services of the Animal Husbandry department adding, even department also sprinkled the spray on the infected Cattles and gives them the prescribed medicines. Department has brought Goat pox medicine for the inflected Cattles. There are about thirty five rapid response teams which is headed by Veterinary surgeon and the infected animals report sent to Bhopal for confirmation as to whether the animals are still infected or not.”
