Dairy cow deaths in Lam Dong: Temporarily stop using disease prevention vaccines

In response to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lam Dong province requesting support in preventing and controlling diarrhea in dairy cows, the Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has requested the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lam Dong province to stop using lumpy skin disease vaccine in the entire province to organize an investigation to determine the cause of diarrhea in dairy cows.

The Department of Animal Health also requested the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lam Dong province to confiscate all empty lumpy skin disease vaccine bottles, unused bottles and unused bottles, and carefully preserve them for sampling and testing.

The Department collects information on dairy herds with diarrhea at: dairy households using lumpy skin disease vaccine (vaccination time, total herd/household, number of vaccinated cows, number of cows with diarrhea; number of dead cows...); households with dairy cows with diarrhea or dead cows but not vaccinated against this disease in the same area.

The Department organized autopsy, examined lesions, collected specimens and environmental samples for testing and analysis to determine the cause.

In the immediate future, the Department of Animal Health has requested the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lam Dong to assign veterinary staff to each household with cattle suffering from diarrhea to provide guidance on disease prevention and control measures; use drugs to enhance resistance, prevent dehydration and diarrhea for dairy cows.

At the same time, strengthen epidemic prevention and hygiene measures, spray disinfectants, use lime powder to disinfect, clean, and detoxify livestock facilities, households, and surrounding areas where livestock are sick, dead, and forced to be destroyed.

The Department of Animal Health has established a working group to Lam Dong province since August 7 to coordinate the implementation of disease prevention and control measures and investigate to determine the cause.

The Department of Animal Health also requested the Central Veterinary Medicine Joint Stock Company Navetco to immediately send company leaders and technical staff with good expertise and experience to the localities to coordinate in implementing disease prevention and control measures; investigate to determine the cause; provide full information to specialized agencies and the Working Group of the Department of Animal Health.

Along with that, coordinate with localities to implement remedial measures if related to vaccines produced by the unit.

As of August 6, Lam Dong province had 3,670 calves and dairy cows of 163 households in 5 communes of 2 districts (Don Duong and Duc Trong) suffering from diarrhea; of which 45 died in 32 households in 4 communes (Ka Do, Quang Lap and Tu Tra, Don Duong district; Hiep Thanh commune, Duc Trong district.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lam Dong province determined the cause: Through clinical examination, it was found that the cows had diarrhea possibly due to heavy rain for several weeks, humid environment, combined with reduced resistance of the cows after being vaccinated against lumpy skin disease (NAVET-LPVAC vaccine of Navetco Company),... creating conditions for opportunistic microorganisms to attack and cause digestive disorders.

In the coming time, diarrhea in dairy cows may continue to arise and spread in Don Duong, Duc Trong districts and other localities.

Lam Dong province has provided 5,800 liters of chemicals for localities to carry out sanitation, disinfection and disease prevention; mobilized all technical staff to stay in the area to coordinate with localities to promptly grasp and inform about the disease situation and support localities in implementing prevention measures...

Previously, there was information that in the past week, hundreds of households in the dairy cow area of ​​Lam Dong in the two districts of Duc Trong and Don Duong were extremely worried because thousands of cows were sick, many of them died.

Notably, only the cattle of households that had been vaccinated against lumpy skin disease suffered from diarrhea for several days and then died. Meanwhile, the cattle of households that had not been vaccinated against this type of vaccine did not show any symptoms.