DERA GHAZI KHAN: Lumpy skin disease has started spreading among the livestock in Dera Ghazi Khan division, affecting 30pc of the livestock in the region.

The disease that was first identified among the livestock in Sindh, has also broke out among the cattle in Choti Zaireen, Mamoori, Darkhawst Jamal Khan and tribal area tehsil of Koh Suleman, local f armers complain.

District Livestock Officer Dr Zaka Saeed says as many as 317 cases of lumpy skin disease havesofarbeenreported in the four districts of DG Khan division. So far 41 cases of the disease were reported in DG Khan district, 112 in Layyah, 118 in Muzaffargarh and 46 cases in Rajanpur.

Dr Zaka says 30pc of the livestock had been affected by the disease in the division. He says it is a viral disease of water buffalo and other cattle with relatively low mortality. However, the disease can cause significant production losses in the livestock sector.

The disease spreads primarily through bite of insects such as certain species of fly, mosquito and possibly ticks, Dr Zaka explains. Correspondent