What you need to know
Tablelands Telegraph – April 2022
Lumpy skin disease has never been recorded in Australia before but it has recently been detected in neighbouring Indonesia.
A viral disease affecting cattle and water buffalo, it is primarily spread by biting insects such as flies and mosquitoes, and possibly ticks. Originally limited to Africa, the disease has spread rapidly across the globe since 2019.
A few weeks ago, Indonesia reported cases of lumpy skin disease on the island of Sumatra and the disease is expected to continue to spread east and south through the rest of the Indonesian archipelago. Once it reaches the island of Timor it will only be 800km from the Australian mainland and well within striking distance for infected insects travelling across the ocean on the monsoon.
If it enters the northern Australian cattle and wild buffalo populations, lumpy skin disease is likely to have serious immediate and direct impacts on our beef, dairy, and buffalo industries. The disease can cause serious illness and production losses.
While deaths in adult cattle and water buffalo are uncommon, up to 10% of calves can die. Australia’s response to a lumpy skin disease outbreak will involve culling affected animals and domestic movement restrictions. It will also have impacts to our cattle live export markets.
It’s unlikely to be an easy disease to eradicate. It’s spread by mosquitoes, so quarantines and movement restrictions are going to be largely ineffective once the disease is established. The nature of the northern cattle industry will also make things difficult – mis-musters are common and these cattle along with the large wild buffalo population would likely become a reservoir of infection.
While vaccines have been used in other parts of the world, there are currently no lumpy skin disease vaccines registered for use in Australia.
So, what can we do?
Early detection is essential for the successful control and eradication of lumpy skin disease.
Know the signs of lumpy skin disease, particularly if you are introducing cattle from the northern states, and report any suspicious skin lumps, sores or scabs to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888, or your District Vet.
What to look for:
- Firm, raised nodules up to 50mm in diameter develop on the skin around the head, neck, genitals and limbs. Nodules can develop on any part of the body.
- Scabs develop in the centre of the nodules after which the scabs fall off, leaving large holes that may become infected.
- Swelling of the limbs, brisket and genitals may occur.
- Watering eyes.
- Increased nasal and salivary secretion.
- Some animals with the disease may show no signs.
