Lumpy skin disease

• Lumpy skin disease is a contagious viral disease that affects cattle (both beef and dairy) and water buffalo.
• It has never been detected in Australia but is rapidly spreading through south-east Asia.
• People cannot catch Lumpy skin disease from infected animals or from eating beef or drinking milk.

The incubation period is usually between 4- and 14-days post-infection but can be up to 28 days.

• Discharge from the eyes and nose – usually observed first
• Decreased milk yield in lactating cattle
• High fever that may exceed 41 °C
• Appearance of firm skin nodules (lumps) of 2 to 5 cm in diameter, particularly on the head, neck, limbs, udder, genitalia and perineum within 48 hours of onset of fever. The number of lesions varies from a few in mild cases, to multiple lesions covering the entire body in severely affected animals.
• Cattle may rapidly lose body condition, and some may need to be euthanized. Those that recover may remain in extremely poor condition for some time.
• Morbidity (sickness) rates vary greatly and typically range between 10–20%. Mortality (death) rates of 1–5% are usual.

• Lumpy skin disease is primarily spread by biting flies, mosquitos and midges, as well as by ticks.
• Also, it can be spread by the movement of infected animals or contaminated products and equipment.

• Lumpy skin disease is established in Africa, the Middle East, South-East Europe, Kazakhstan and Russia.
• In 2019 Lumpy skin disease was reported for the first time in Bangladesh, China and India.
• In 2020 there were reports of it in Taiwan, Nepal, Vietnam, Bhutan, Hong Kong and Myanmar.
• In 2021, outbreaks occurred in Thailand and Malaysia.
• Indonesia reported its first outbreak of Lumpy skin disease on 03 March 2022. In September 2022 the disease spread from Sumatra to the island of Java.

No, Australia is currently free of Lumpy skin disease. If Lumpy skin disease was to enter Australia, it could have major consequences for our cattle and buffalo industries and associated industries. Although Lumpy skin disease has never occurred in Australia, its spread through south-east Asia means it is an increased biosecurity threat to our country.

A biosecurity action plan will help you identify and prioritise the implementation of biosecurity practices relevant to your property. When devising a plan for your farm, the biosecurity essentials are a good place to start. Find them here!

Download the Farm Biosecurity Action Planner here.

You should immediately report any unusual signs of illness in animals to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888, your veterinarian, or your state/territory department of primary industries (or equivalent).

Lumpy skin disease can be challenging and costly to control or eradicate. How an outbreak of Lumpy skin disease would look would depend on how quickly it is detected. If an outbreak is detected early before it has become widespread, it is more likely to be successfully contained and eradicated.

The most important thing to do if a Lumpy skin disease outbreak occurs is to check your cattle regularly for signs of the disease, and to comply with the instructions of your state government biosecurity personnel, who will be working hard to contain and eradicate the disease.

If your cattle or buffalo die of Lumpy skin disease or are culled to control its spread, you may be eligible for compensation. Each jurisdiction has different legislation for determining eligibility for compensation.

For more specific information, you’ll need to contact your state government department of primary industries or equivalent. During an outbreak, information on compensation claims will be made available by the state/territory government department of primary industries.

The response to a disease outbreak conducted under the EADRA is cost-shared, meaning governments and industries split the costs of the response based on a pre-agreed formula.

Australia has arrangements in place to manage animal disease outbreaks. The AUSVETPLAN Lumpy Skin Disease response strategy describes the nationally agreed approach to control and eradicate LSD if it occurs in Australia. The Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (or EADRA) is an agreement between all state and territory governments, the Australian government and livestock industry bodies which enables a quick and effective response to an EAD incident, while minimising uncertainty over management and funding arrangements.