South Punjab livestock officials are on the lookout for LSD

BAHAWALPUR: There has been an epidemic of lumpy skin disease (LSD) among Sindh's cattle, prompting South Punjab (SP) livestock secretariat to take preventative steps.

Sindh's government has declared an emergency after the disease killed hundreds of cows and buffaloes. Due to its proximity to Sindh, South Punjab is at risk from a viral disease that affects livestock (from Sadiqabad). According to Tanveer Jhandhir, the Additional Secretary for Livestock (South Punjab), all parts of south Punjab are safe for the cattle. He said that the Sindh government has set up a checkpoint on the Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar (KLP) road at Kot Sabzal to monitor the movement of any infected animals.

As a precautionary measure, the Sindh government has also shut down cattle markets. The Cholistan and south Punjab would be protected from the disease because of a vaccine, he claimed.