Shawdesh Desk:

Cattle farmers in Shahzadpur upazila of Sirajganj district are worried over the sudden outbreak of lumpy skin disease affecting the livestock ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

Already 200 cattle in the upazila have been infected with the disease within one week.

Sources said nearly three lakh cattle have been reared in the upazila and there are 7,000 cattle farms.

The cattle farmers of the upazila reared one lakh cattle for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha which will be taken to different cattle markets including Dhaka.

But due to the sudden outbreak of lumpy skin disease, the cattle farmers in the upazila are passing their days in worry of spreading the disease to every corner of the upazila.

Though the upazila veterinary office injected vaccines to the infected cattle, they did not find any positive output in this regard.

Talking to some cattle farmers including Yeasin Mollah and Farhad Hossain, they said they are busy rearing cattle aiming to meet the demand of sacrificial animals during Eid-ul-Azha. They are preparing to sell their cattle in the local haat before Eid and after getting money they will meet their domestic expenses in the whole year.

If the skin disease spreads to the other cattle they will have to face losses, said the farmers.

Many cattle in Potazia, Reshambari, Choto chamtara, Angaru and Barabil in Shahzadpur upazila have been reported to be infected with lumpy skin disease.

Saidul Islam, a veterinary physician, said the farmers in the upazila were found frustrated with the spread of lumpy skin disease and a number of cattle were found to be infected in Ullapara and Raiganj upazila of the district too.

Dr Mizanur Rahman, Upazila Livestock Officer, said the cattle farmers might have been affected by the spread of the disease and 200 cattle have been diagnosed with the disease within one week.

Already directives have been given to bring the cattle under vaccination, he said.