Brunei Darussalam is free from Australia’s cattle lumpy skin disease (LSD), said the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) in a press statement yesterday, advising the public and agricultural industry operators not to get alarmed about the LSD disease incident.
The statement said, “Following local media reports on temporary import suspension of live cattle and buffalo from Australia by neighbouring countries due to the LSD incident found in live cattle imported from Australia, MPRT has obtained confirmation from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), Australia as the authority in that country.
“The DAFF confirmed that LSD has never been detected in the country and guarantees that Australia practices a strict and thorough biosecurity system in addition to a surveillance system for diseases that have never been detected.
“This includes a thorough inspection of all livestock at the ship’s port in Australia and the issuing of a certificate confirming that they are free of certain diseases and healthy for travel by a veterinary officer prior to departure from Australia.
“LSD is a virus disease that infects cattle and buffalo through insect bites, such as mosquitoes, flies, and direct infection from livestock exposed to the virus.
“However, LSD is not contagious to humans or has a negative effect on humans when in direct contact with livestock or by consuming infected livestock meat.
Among the signs of LSD disease in cows and buffaloes are nodules on the skin in part or all of the body, fluid from the eyes and nose, having fever and loss of appetite.
LSD infection can result in reduced milk production, poor growth and infertility and cause miscarriage for pregnant livestock.
The risk of LSD spread and its impact on the cattle and buffalo industry in Brunei Darussalam is minimal as there are no large-scale commercial cattle breeding and production farms. – Azlan Othman
