On Tuesday, the South Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reported that 95% of the country’s cows have been vaccinated against lumpy skin disease (LSD). The government has already inoculated over 3.85 million of the 4.08 million cattle in the nation with the aim of completing the process by this coming Friday.
It takes around three weeks for the animals to build up antibodies against the disease. To date, 81 cases have been confirmed nationwide, including three from the day before, and authorities are currently analyzing five suspected cases.
LSD is a contagious illness that affects cows and buffaloes through mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects. Symptoms include skin lesions, fever and loss of appetite, which can lead to a drop in milk production and even death.
A farmer in Ulsan, 299 kilometers southeast of Seoul, is seen vaccinating cattle on Nov. 1, 2023. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)
