Lumpy skin disease (LSD) outbreak caused virus in cattle which resulted in raise in prices all across the country. Further, another factors which was highlighted by the traders are havoc monsoon and of course higher petroleum prices.
Lumpy skin disease affected the sales and production in all provinces. Where Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded that highest death percentage in animals.
Disease doesn’t affect the people but it could be spread through flies and mosquitoes. The common symptoms is lower milk production or sometimes it could be fatal.
Sindh:
Beef currently selling at Rs700 to Rs900 / of while mutton prices range from Rs1,600 to Rs2,200 in Karachi.
There is no such huge change in prices in last three months. However, due to shortage of supply because of havoc devasating situation in interior Sindh as many famers have lost their animals, confirmed by Abdul Latif Qureshi of the Livestock Traders Welfare Association.
He further confirmed that LSD haven’t played a major role whereas it’s mainly impacted by the high inflation.
Dr Nazeer Hussain Kalhoro, the director general of Sindh’s livestock department and head of the provincial task force on LSD, stated that the disease is under control in Sindh except for Tharparkar and desert areas of Umerkot, where approximately 5 to 10 cases are being reported on daily basis.
LSD was reported in the first week of March in Sindh, which affected various cattle farms of the province including Karachi.
As per provincial task 53,668 LSD cases has been reported since March, out of which around 571 animals were killed (around 1pc of the total cases) while 53,072 have been recovered.
Cases were reported in cows only. No buffalo or any other animal or human was affected by it so far. Whereas, report stated that Consumption of milk and meat is safe these days for human health.
Punjab:
LSD entered from Sindh to Punjab, initially it hit southern parts but now it has been spread over to the central part of the province too, as per farmers and officials of the provincial livestock department.
Disease affects the cattle, even calves are losing their pecuniary value because of fear, stated by Abad Khan, a livestock farmer from central Punjab.
However, livestock officials stated that province has vaccinated 15pc of the cattle population so far.
Around 14.6m cattle population, approximately 29,620 have been reported which led 765 animals to lost their lives (2.6pc of the total cases) whereas, 21,720 recovered.
It is pertinent to mention that Punjab is vaccinating much faster than the spread. Molarity rate in KP has gone beyond 4pc.
In addition, Punjab has two factors that the actual rate of spread is slow plus LSD doesn’t affect to humans, he stated.
Balochistan:
Abdul Samad, president of a provincial beef sellers’ association, said Balochistan has not been spared, LSD has feared consumers away as it spread in Sindh and some parts of Balochistan.
Samad who has been running his beef shop from 30 years at Kasi Road informed that who ever come for purchase asks first about LSD and doesn’t proceed to order until satisfied.
He informed that there are some shopkeepers who are struggling to even sell one animal in a day, whereas, selling 2 to 3 big animals was normal prior to this disease.
It was also confirmed by livestock department officials that because of LSD there is a decrease in sales of cattle animals.
Dr Kamran, director general of Balochistan’s livestock department informed sources that LSD cases were reported in Zhob, Duki and Lasbela districts in February.
He informed that they instantly started vaccinating animals as soon as cases started being reported. Mostly cows and bulls got infected from this disease.
He informed that they have vaccinated approximately 20,000 animals not just in affected areas but in other areas of the province too.
Impost has also been declined because of LSD which resulted in increase in the prices of beef in Quetta and other areas too.
Beef is selling at Rs800/kg whereas Rs600 to Rs650/kg was sell prior to it.
Tameezuddin, who exports beef to Gulf states confined that exports has been dropped by 40pc to 50pc.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa:
Around 46,343 LSD cases has been reported to which 2,366 led to deaths. Which whopped 5pc of the total infections.
District that affected includes Kurram, Lakki Marwat, Kohat, Karak Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Haripur, Mansehra and Swabi.
Financial losses from disease disclosed at Rs2 billion. According to the official data total population of 8.84m cattle to which morbidity and motility ratio of 15pc and 2.5pc, respectively.
Annual dairy losses would be around 337m litres and beef losses to 17.2m kilograms.
It would be a huge challenge, estimated annual losses at Rs50bn if the situation is not properly controlled.
He confirmed that just around Rs5bn to treat affected animals and vaccinate the ones at risk to overcome infectious disease.
AJK:
The first LSD case was reported in the first week of June in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
The department’s director general, Dr Ijaz Khan informed the sources that the only local vaccine had mortgage to sell 120,000 doses to the department.
It was confirmed that they have received 80,000 doses which was administered during a door-to-door vaccination drive which cost Rs10/ dose. He added 22,302 doses, purchased by livestock owners on their own.
The total population of cattle is 545,239 as of Aug 30 from which 7,803 cases was reported from different areas, mostly reported from the southern Mirpur and Bhimber districts. From which 637 animals had died while 6,246 had recovered.
Flood-related animal deaths:
Besides LSD, havoc floods have also claimed thousands of animals.
Balochistan lost 700,000 animals in such hard time of monsoon spell and devasating floods.
Mir Ziaullah Langove, the provincial home minister informed sources that province might face the shortage in next days which would affect meat supply and could result to higher prices.
According to the data shared livestock deaths in Punjab stood at 205,104 as of Aug 31. Which included 200,667 in Rajanpur alone. Where flood affected numerous people poor,dead or homeless.
Moving forward to Sindh, where livestock recorded at over 18,000 casualties.
In KP more than 9,000 cattle heads fall in the flood. Total losses estimated as Rs1.89bn in the province.
Experts informed that there would be shortage of animals on server rate in next few months because of huge livestock losses in flood plus the increase in its prices.
Right now, according to livestock department details it stands at 70,000.
