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Lumpy skin disease is a viral disease and is transmitted by blood-feeding insects, such as certain species of flies and mosquitoes, or ticks. It causes fever and nodules on the skin and can lead to the death of the cattle.

The main symptoms are fever in animals, discharge from the eyes and nose, salivation from the mouth, soft blisters like nodules all over the body, reduced milk production, and difficulty in eating, which sometimes lead to the animal's death.

When cattle are infected, the animals become weak due to nodule formation, fever and other symptoms. This severely affects milk production. When the animal is dying, its entire body system is affected.

According to the Centre, the disease has spread to several states of India including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

Lumpy skin disease is a contagious viral disease that spreads among cattle through mosquitoes, flies, lice and wasps by direct contact, as also through contaminated food and water. It does not transmit from cattle to humans.

Animals can be cured from Lumpy, however, the milk of such animals may get affected due to the virus, according to reports. However, lumpy skin disease is a non-zoonotic infection and not transmissible from animals to humans.

In a major breakthrough, two institutes of agri-research body ICAR have recently developed an indigenous vaccine for Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle, which has spread across many states in the last few months. According to govt, 'Goat Pox Vaccine' is also "very effective".

The disease and its impact on milk output can be arrested if cattle are vaccinated on time. If cattle are infected for the first time and not vaccinated, then milk production can get reduced up to 40-50 per cent, according to experts. According to reports, dairy farmers in Punjab have witnessed 15-20 per cent fall in milk output in the wake of outbreak of lumpy skin disease in the state.

According to Indian Veterinary Research Institute it is safe to consume milk from the infected cattle. There is no problem in the quality of milk even if you have it after boiling or without boiling.