Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien commented that the vaccination against lumpy skin disease in dairy cows in Lam Dong Province, located in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, has adversely affected the vaccinated animals, leading to hundreds of cows developing diarrhea and eventually dying.

The official made this statement on Sunday in response to reporters’ inquiries about the deaths of hundreds of dairy cows in the province’s Duc Trong and Don Duong Districts, which occurred in the days following their immunization.

When asked whether the vaccination was the cause of the deaths, Deputy Minister Tien confirmed that the inoculation had indeed impacted the cows, noting that 4,900 out of nearly 9,000 vaccinated cows suffered from diarrhea.

The ministry has mobilized the provincial Department of Animal Health and other units to collect samples from the deceased cows for testing and to conduct high-precision gene sequencing to determine the exact cause.

Health workers also collected samples of the vaccine – NAVET-LPVAC – used in the immunization for testing.

The vaccine was produced by Ho Chi Minh City-based Navetco National Veterinary Joint Stock Company (Navetco).

The department and other relevant agencies have developed a treatment regimen for the affected cows, and the results of the gene sequencing are expected soon, which will help determine the cause of the deaths.

The ministry is also coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure the proper disposal of the dead cows to prevent any impact on underground water sources.

Currently, the ministry and provincial authorities are focusing all available resources, including supplies and chemicals, on combating the epidemic among the province’s cow herds.

Designated bodies will also clearly identify cases where compensation or support will be provided to farmers who have suffered losses due to the deaths of their cows, Tien added.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien is seen talking with reporters on August 11, 2024 about the death of dairy cows due to diarrhea after being vaccinated against lumpy skin disease in Lam Dong Province, situated in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. Photo: V. Giang / Tuoi Tre

Last Friday, the provincial administration submitted a quick report to the ministry, indicating that more than 100 dairy cows from over 40 households had died of diarrhea.

Following vaccination against lumpy skin disease, the cows' resistance weakened, making their digestive systems more susceptible to attacks from microorganisms, which proliferated rapidly in the humid weather conditions caused by prolonged rains in July.

Approximately 3,670 calves and dairy cows from 163 households across five communes have suffered from diarrhea.

In response to the diarrhea epidemic, local authorities have suspended vaccinations and directed the local Department of Agricultural and Rural Development to collaborate with the Department of Animal Health to provide farmers with guidance on preventing diarrhea among their cow herds and to determine the cause as quickly as possible.

The ministry has also instructed the provincial administration to direct all relevant agencies to enhance control over cow slaughter and the transportation of cows, to prevent the movement of diseased and potentially diseased cows out of the affected areas.

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