ANCHANPUR: Lumpy skin infection is taking heavy toll on cattle in the districts of Sudurpaschim Province.

So far, almost 26,000 livestock died of the lumpy skin outbreak, the officials said.

The disease has spread in all nine districts of the province, affecting almost 634,800 animals.

Chief of Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Expert Centre, Kailali, Dr Hemraj Awasthi, said that the outbreak of the animal disease has panicked the local farmers with the largest number of livestock fatalities in Baitadi and largest number of infection in Kailali district.

Dr Awasthi said that 11,000 plus animals died of this disease in Baitadi district.

Likewise, Kanchanpur district recorded the least number of fatalities among the nine districts in the province.

However, just 630 livestock received vaccines against this disease as per the information provided to the Department of Livestock Service from the Livestock Development Directorate.

“This year’s infection in the hilly districts is deadlier,” Dr Awasthi said.

The livestock technicians have suggested the farmers to keep the infected cattle isolated.

It is said that the disease broke out due to the practice of keeping cattle free in open grazing land in highland areas.