There is no treatment available for lumpy skin disease (LSD). Only the symptoms can be relieved at a very high cost. A farmer has to be vigilant and move regularly amongst his cattle to pick up any early signs of LSD. The other, smarter option is to vaccinate in advance.

We thank the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of the Republic of South Africa for distributing this vital information on animal diseases.

What is lumpy skin disease (LSD)?

• It is a viral disease of cattle and is typically characterised by nodules or lumps on the skin.
• All cattle breeds in Southern Africa can be affected.
• It usually occurs during the wet summer and autumn months, when biting insects and mosquitoes are in abundance.
• The disease occurs throughout Africa.

Why is lumpy skin disease so important?

• It is a notifiable disease, which means that any suspected or confirmed case must be reported to the responsible state veterinarian.
• Up to 45% of your herd can become affected and the mortality (death) rate may reach 10%.
• The disease causes production losses: pregnant cattle may abort, marked reduction in milk yield, pneumonia, infertility, permanent damage to hides (skin) and emaciation (loss of body condition). There is a loss in income because of lower production (deaths, milk and meat, abortions, lowered breeding potential, and damage to valuable hides), and the cost of drugs to symptomatically treat sick animals.

What type of animals can be affected?

• Cattle of all ages can get this disease.
• Vaccinated cattle are less likely to get the disease and may have less severe symptoms.
• Cattle which have had the disease and survived cannot be infected again (also immune).
• Calves are protected against the disease while drinking their mother’s milk before six months of age, if their mothers were vaccinated or had the disease previously.

How do cattle become infected?

• Biting flies play the most important role in spreading the virus.
• Infections increase during the wet summer and autumn months when there are more flies.
• Calves can be infected by drinking milk from an infected cow.
• The disease can also spread through the saliva of infected animals when they use the same drinking trough.
• The disease can also be spread by man when using one needle to inject various animals.

What are the signs of lumpy skin disease in cattle?

• Skin nodules and ulcers:
  • can vary from a few to several thousand
  • the size ranges from 0,5 to 5 cm
  • they occur anywhere on the skin, including the nose, udder and vulva in cows, the scrotum in bulls, as well as in the mouth (the gums)
• Legs may become swollen and the animal does not want to move
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Pneumonia/coughing as a result of infection of the respiratory tract (the windpipe and lungs).
• Discharge from the nose and eyes
• Infertile bulls due to orchitis (infection of the testes)
• Infertile cows
• Mastitis
• Fever
• Emaciation
• Salivation

How can LSD be diagnosed?

• A basic diagnosis can be made by the presence of the typical lesions on the skin and in the mouth.
• In long-haired animals you should feel for the nodules on the skin, or you can wet the hair so that you can see the nodules more easily.
• A definite diagnosis can only be confirmed by a veterinarian by taking blood samples or samples of the skin nodules to a laboratory where they can identify the virus. This has to be done because some other diseases cause similar signs in cattle. These other diseases require different methods of control and treatment.
• If you suspect LSD in your herd, you must inform the state veterinarian.

What other diseases can LSD be confused with?

• Pseudo-lumpy skin disease
• Demodicosis (Demodex)
• Besnoitiosis
• Oncocercariasis
• Insect bite allergies
• Bovine virus diarrhoea/mucosal disease
• Bovine malignant catarrhal fever (BMCF)
• Rinderpest

Because it is clear that there are many diseases causing similar signs,
it is important to obtain a definite diagnosis to ensure the best preventative and control measures for your herd.

How is LSD treated?

• There is NO SPECIFIC TREATMENT for lumpy skin disease.
• Non-specific, supportive treatment (antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs and vitamin injections) is usually directed at treating the secondary bacterial infections, inflammation and fever, and improving the appetite of the animal.

How can you prevent lumpy skin disease in your herd?

• Prevention is the cheapest and best method of control of the disease.
• If your animals are vaccinated, you will suffer limited or no production or financial losses as a result of the ill-effects of this disease.

Vaccination (the best)

• There are several vaccines against LSD available on the market.
• When a vaccine is administered the vaccinated animal develops protective antibodies (made by white blood cells).
• These antibodies bind (help fight) the virus that is transmitted by biting insects, milk of infected animals or saliva of infected animals, or humans using the same needle on many animals.
• The animal should therefore be protected against LSD.
• All cattle should be re-vaccinated, or a booster vaccination given as per the instructions of the specific vaccine used.
• Calves from vaccinated cows should be vaccinated for the first time at six months of age.
• Calves from unvaccinated cows (or cows that have never had LSD before) will not be protected by their mother’s milk and have to be vaccinated for the first time earlier than six months, as per the instructions of the specific vaccine being used.
• There may be a swelling at the site where the vaccine is given, and a temporary drop in milk production, but the swelling will disappear after a few weeks with a return to normal milk production.

It is important to read the instructions for use on the vaccine labels. If you have any questions or need assistance with vaccination, contact your state or private veterinarian or animal health technician for help.

Fly control

• To prevent biting insects from biting cattle, cattle can be dipped, sprayed or pour-on can be applied to kill or repel insects.
• Make sure that the remedy used is registered with the Fertilisers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act (Act 36 of 1947), and use them only as the manufacturer directs.
• Read and follow the instructions on the labels of the products.
• The fly repellent effect of dips, sprays or pour-on is short-lived, and therefore only treating your cattle with an insecticide will not prevent them from getting LSD.
• The best way to ensure that all cattle are protected is by vaccination.

For further information, contact your nearest animal health technician or state/private veterinarian, or visit the website of the Department: Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Republic of South Africa at www.daff.gov.za.