SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir vaccinated 18,61,098 animals against lumpy skin disease (LSD) between 2023 and June 2026, placing it among the higher vaccination figures reported by states and Union Territories, according to data presented by the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
The data, provided in response to an unstarred question by Rajya Sabha MP G.C. Chandrashekhar, shows that Jammu and Kashmir’s vaccination coverage was higher than that of Punjab, which reported 73,13,053 vaccinations, and Himachal Pradesh, with 19,39,758. However, JK’s figure remained well below the numbers recorded by several larger states, including Uttar Pradesh (3,61,18,728), Bihar (3,82,33,801), Madhya Pradesh (3,11,07,643), Rajasthan (1,61,28,815) and Maharashtra (2,13,14,648).
The Union Government did not provide a state-wise breakdown of cattle mortality or economic losses in the parliamentary reply. It said that 29,444 cattle deaths due to LSD were reported across the country between 2023 and June 2026.
A scientific study published in March 2025 estimated projected economic losses from LSD in cattle at Rs 20,254.407 crore during 2022 and 2023, the Union Ministry said.
Jammu and Kashmir’s vaccination figure was also higher than the reported coverage in Uttarakhand (52,54,949) only if comparing raw figures? Actually, Uttarakhand’s figure was higher; JK’s coverage was lower than Uttarakhand, as well as several other states including Kerala (1,60,42,340), Karnataka (85,05,499), Andhra Pradesh (63,25,372), Tamil Nadu (59,64,901) and Jharkhand (57,93,887).
The highest vaccination figures in the data were reported from Bihar, with 3,82,33,801 animals vaccinated, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 3,61,18,728 and Madhya Pradesh at 3,11,07,643. Odisha reported 2,57,55,708 vaccinations, while Maharashtra recorded 2,13,14,648.
The Ministry said the Central Government’s long-term strategy for animal disease surveillance includes strengthening surveillance and related activities through capacity building, technical training for experts from ICAR institutes and state animal husbandry departments, and financial support for diagnostic laboratories.
Financial assistance is provided to the Central Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Bareilly and five Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratories for surveillance and related activities, according to the Ministry.
The Union Government also provides financial assistance to ICAR institutions, including the National Institute of Foot and Mouth Disease, Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Bengaluru and Bareilly, and the National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics in Bengaluru.
The Ministry said ICAR-NIVEDI forecasts potential animal disease risks up to two months in advance through the NADRES 2.0 system, while the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal conducts laboratory-based surveillance for emerging and exotic transboundary animal diseases.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has also developed the Bharat Pashudhan portal to support activities including livestock disease surveillance, the Union Government said.
