The Department of Agriculture (DA) has implemented a ban on the importation of live cattle and buffaloes, along with their by-products, from Thailand, Russia, Libya, and South Korea. This decision comes in response to reported outbreaks of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in these countries. LSD is known to damage the skin of affected animals, reducing the value of hides and potentially causing death.
As a precautionary measure, the processing of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances for these countries has been suspended. The ban extends to a range of products including milk, embryos, hides, and semen derived from cattle and buffaloes. Although there are no official records of imported meat and dairy products from the specified countries, the ban is a proactive step to safeguard local cattle and buffalo populations from the LSD virus.
Lumpy skin disease, while typically resulting in low fatality rates, can have significant economic impacts. These include reduced milk production and animal infertility. The decision follows reports submitted to the World Organization for Animal Health, which indicated outbreaks of the LSD virus in the four countries between November and December 2023.