Amrita School of Agricultural Sciences Spreads Awareness on Lumpy Skin Disease

Students demonstrated awareness sessions for dairy farmers on Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle and the use of the California Mastitis Test kit. Panchayat President Ramkumar, Vice President Marimuthu, and many other farmers took part in the demonstrations and got benefited.

Almost every household in the Pottaiyandipurambu Panchayat keeps cattle, with at least one cow. Furthermore, a recent outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease (known as 'Periyammai' in local language) is rapidly spreading. So, in order to reduce the number of cases and the severity of the spread, Dr. Deepak Chandran organised an awareness session (Assistant professor, Amrita School of Agricultural Sciences).

The disease, etiological agent, causes, symptoms, and early signs of illness, mode of transmission, farmer-level treatment strategies, including ethno-veterinary treatment, and disease prevention strategies were all explained. The disease is caused by the capripox virus and is extremely severe, causing irreversible sterility and even death in the affected animal. It is transmitted by vectors such as ticks and flees, which can pass the virus from one animal to the next.

Fever above 105o F, depression, conjunctivitis, salivation, enlarged superficial lymph nodes, sterility, cutaneous nodules 2-5 cm in diameter, limbs and ventral parts becoming oedematous, and other symptoms can occur. Prevention strategies such as controlling ticks and flies in the premises are critical for avoiding the disease because the disease is transmitted through such vectors.

Regarding treatment, farmers were informed of the significance of veterinary doctors' emergency intervention for intravenous antibiotic administration to prevent secondary bacterial infections. People were also taught how to use Diclofenac gel, Himax TM ointment, isolate animals, and take proper disease prevention measures.

Ethnoveterinary Treatment of LSD

Neem oil - 0.5 L, Ocimum sanctum (Fresh Tulasi leaves) – 100 g, Neem fresh leaves – 100 g, Alium sativam – 100 g, Curcuma longa – 100g, Aloe vera – 100g . All these should be mixed and can be applied on the affected animals.

Sub-Clinical Mastitis Detection Using California Mastitis Test (CMT) Kit:

Mastitis in cattle is an inflammatory reaction of the udder tissue in the mammary gland. It is regarded as the most common disease-causing economic loss in dairy industries due to decreased milk yield and poor milk quality. Microbial infections in the udder are the most common cause.

An apparatus has been introduced to determine if the cow is infected with mastitis even before symptoms appear (sub-clinical). The CMT kit includes a reagent and a four-cup tray for removing milk from the four teats of the cow being tested. The results are obtained after an equal amount of milk and reagents are added. The disease costs the farmer a lot of money, and the animal suffers as well.

CMT is a quick and easy test that predicts the somatic cell count of milk from individual quarters or composite milk samples. It is a simple, low-cost, and quick screening test for the early diagnosis of bovine mastitis.

This disease and the test with the kit were clearly described to the farmers, and the test was conducted in front of them to help them understand it better. Each quarter should yield about 12 to 1 teaspoon milk. This is how much milk would remain in the cups if the CMT paddle was held nearly vertically. Fill each cup in the paddle with an equal amount of CMT solution.

To thoroughly mix the contents, rotate the CMT paddle in a circular motion. Mix for no more than 10 seconds. Quickly "read" the test. After about 20 seconds, the visible reaction disintegrates. This is the correct procedure to follow. 

The test revealed that two of the teats had positive results for sub-clinical mastitis, as evidenced by white cluster and gel formation in the cups. Some of the treatment measures include washing the udder with 3 percent KMnO4 before and after milking, washing the animal completely with 3 percent KMnO4 once a week, and maintaining personal hygiene such as clean hands and nails while milking.