Stop the Cycle: Prevent Recurring Livestock Epidemics

Lumpy Skin Disease is fast turning into a recurring nightmare for Nepali farmers. In Sunsari district alone, more than 1,500 cattle are already infected, and 53 have died. The disease has already spread across the entire Sunsari district, with Duhabi reporting the highest number of infection cases. Inaruwa and Barahachettra municipalities are also badly hit. Vaccination has been intensified, and over 64,000 cattle have already been covered. But with the rate at which the disease is surfacing in new areas, these measures have proven to be insufficient.What is happening in Sunsari today is a painful reminder of the outbreak last year in Sudurpaschim Province. At that time, nearly 26,000 cattle died, and over 630,000 were infected. Farmers in hill districts like Baitadi and Kailali were the worst hit. The contagious viral disease is caused by a type of poxvirus and mainly transmitted by the bites of insects like mosquitoes, ticks, and flies. It also transmits from animal to animal through shared feed, water, and equipment. While not always fatal, the disease typically causes permanent damage drastically lowering milk production, destroying the hide, impairing fertility, and causing weight loss. All of these effects make cattle less valuable to farmers who depend on them not only for milk but also for farm labor.