PANAJI
Goa’s worst fears have come true. On Tuesday, nearly 15 suspected cases of lumpy skin disease among cattle were detected in the State of which 8 have been confirmed positive.
Director of Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Augustinho Mesquita has confirmed the development and said maximum of the cases are from Ponda while a few have also been found in Bicholim.
A few days back, the government had banned in-bound transportation of cattle and buffalo to Goa as a precaution against the fast spreading lumpy skin disease affecting the bovine population.
The North Goa collector had issued the order prohibiting the entry of the livestock from other States.
The Department has been vaccinating livestock for the disease since 2019 and had started the vaccination drives afresh before Ganesh Chaturthi looking at the large scale spread of the disease in States like Rajasthan, Mesquita said.
Mesquita went on to add that bringing of livestock from other States without informing the Department is one of the primary reasons for the spread of the disease in Goa.
The ban is expected to adversely affect stocks of the highly consumed beef and other products, including in the tourism industry, which is bracing up to start a fresh season in early October.
