Study on the epidemiological and financial impacts of clinical lumpy skin disease in selected districts of tigray and afar regional states, north eastern ethiopia

Lumpy skin disease is one of economically important cattle diseases in small holder farmers and livestock industries. A study was carried out between October 2011 and February 2012 in selected districts of Afar and Tigray regional states to assess financial impacts of lumpy skin disease and benefits obtained from control interventions. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data on the epidemiological variables and production losses of the disease. Purposive sampling was used to select households who experienced the LSD during the last one year in their respective herds, and willingness of the livestock owners to participate in the study. Financial estimation was done in four study districts which consist of 15 kebeles where clinical LSD affected herds were reported. A total of 267 questionnaires were administered to the herd owners which owned totally 3442 animals and out of which 379 animals were affected by the disease. The cumulative incidence and mortality rate of LSD in the study group were found to be 11% (95% CI: 0.99-12) and 2 %( 95% CI: 1.5-2.3) respectively. The percentage of production losses associated with the disease was estimated to be 3.26%, 2.52% and 1.2% for milk loss, draft power loss and beef loss respectively. The production losses per head of cattle were 11USD and the net benefit of the control through annual vaccination per head was 4USD. Thus, the herd owners should use annual vaccination against LSD in order to sustain and secure their production and productivity.