DIY Proposes 15,000 Doses Of Vaccine For Cattle LSD Outbreak

YOGYAKARTA - The Department of Agriculture and Food Security (DPKP) for the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) has submitted 15,000 doses of vaccine against lumpy skin disease (LSD) which attacks cattle to the central government.

Head of DIY DPKP Sugeng Purwanto said that of the number submitted, 1,300 doses had been received and distributed to Sleman Regency.

"We hope that by early February everything will be ready, we are afraid that there will be more and more symptomatic cows (LSD)," he said as reported by ANTARA, Monday, January 30.

According to Sugeng, Sleman Regency was the initial priority for vaccination because there had been 10 cases of cows that were positively exposed to LSD.

Last week, 1,065 cows were vaccinated in Sleman.

Apart from Sleman, DPKP DIY has also received case reports of LSD from Kulon Progo Regency, but the samples will still be tested in the laboratory, while in Gunungkidul and Bantul Regencies, there have been no case reports so far.

"There has been a report in Kulon Progo but it has not been tested yet," he said.

Sugeng hopes that the public, especially cattle breeders or other cloven-hoofed breeders, will be wary of LSD because its transmission is no less rapid than foot and mouth disease (FMD).

"This is very dangerous because it can be transmitted by flies. So it's like an ulcer or skin on a cow or an animal with cloven hooves. The flies will land from those exposed to LSD and then directly into the wound," he said.

For the handling of the LSD case, according to Sugeng, the DIY DPKP will optimize the previously formed task force to deal with FMD in DIY.

"Later the handlers will be the same. We will continue to optimize the FMD Task Force, only the application or 'treatment' of LSD," said Sugeng Purwanto.