Thailand’s Livestock Development Department is expected to produce its first lot of inactivated vaccine against Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in cattle by May, which will eventually reduce the country’s dependence on imports.

In announcing the successful development of the vaccine, the department’s director-general, Sorravis Thaneto said today (Friday) that the vaccine will be available in water and oil based capsules and will cost about 9 baht per dose.

The Animal and Livestock Biotechnology Office can produce up to 100,000 doses of the vaccine a month. The production process of the vaccine takes about two months.

The first lot of locally manufactured vaccine expected to save an estimated 21 million baht. Imported vaccine of the same volume would cost 27 million baht, but the manufacturing cost of the local version is only about 6 million. Ultimately, local manufacturing aims to save as much as 280 million baht a year.

Clinical trials of the two forms of vaccine show that the oil capsule produces a 100% immune response, against the 80% response produced by the water based capsule. The effects of the oil based capsule last up to seven months.

The first outbreak of LSD in Thailand was reported in March 2021 in Roi Et province. The disease is characterised by pyrexia, nasal discharge, swelling of the superficial lymph nodes, large skin nodules covering the entire body, poor milk production and miscarriages. The morbidity rate varies between 10% and 20%, with low mortality.

The disease has spread to wildlife, with at least nine banteng found to be infected in Huai Kha Khaeng wildlife sanctuary in July last year.