Beef cattle production and management
Practical Action
The disease is caused by a pox virus. It is a serious disease and may result in heavy losses. The
disease is mainly spread by biting flies, although contact transmission is known to occur but is
very rare.
Clinical Signs
During the first stages of the disease cattle develop a fever, do not feed, may salivate and have
eye and nasal discharges. Later during the course of the disease nodules/lumps appear on the
skin. In severe cases the nodules can appear on the nose, in the mouth, on the udder and vulva
of cows and on the scrotum and sheath of bulls. Fluid swellings appear down the legs and under
the chest and belly. In most cases, the lumps disappear or the skin covering the lumps dies and
sloughs off leaving wounds or the lumps become hardened. Mastitis is common and cows and
bulls may be temporarily or permanently sterile. Pneumonic cases may appear.
Postmortem
Ulcers are found in the mouth, nasal cavity and trachea. Pneumonia may be present.
Diagnosis
Presence of painful lumps/swellings on the skin strongly suggests a diagnosis of lumpy skin
disease.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment of the disease. Antibiotics are used to treat secondary bacterial
infections and wounds are treated using anti-screwworm remedy.
Control
The disease is controlled effectively using vaccines against the disease. Vaccinations must be
done in October and November before the rains start. Vaccinations should be done annually. In
the face of an outbreak, a sterile needle should be used for each individual animal to avoid
spread of the infection.
Papillomatosis/Warts (Mhopo)
It is a viral disease that affects the skin and is transmitted by direct contact and by biting
insects. The disease is more common in young cattle.
Clinical Signs
It is characterized by growth of non-itchy dry, horny, multiple cauliflower-like growths which are
more than one centimetre in diameter. Animals experience pain when the warts are pulled or
secondarily infected. A venereal form can also occur that predisposes the animals to mating
problems and dystocia.
Treatment/Control/Prevention
The disease is self-limiting - that is, spontaneous recovery can occur. The warts can also be
surgically removed. An autogenous vaccine can also be used to control the disease.
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