Increase in cattle virus, yet the goat vaccine was used despite India’s own success

Last update:July 30, 2025, 10:21 IST

Since 2022, a scientifically proven, indigenous skin disease-specific vaccine in India is easily available, but no national rollouts have been done despite the outbreak warning.

The head of India National Institute of Virology, Dr. Naveen Kumar, Pune has told News18 that India has told News18 that India has told News18 that India has told News18.

A painful and infectious viral disease, LSD, which mainly affects cattle and water buffalo, is reviving in parts of India, which contains fresh outbreaks in Pune, Akola, Satara and Badhana districts of Maharashtra. However, most Indian states, despite losing thousands of animals from LSDs, are using ‘goatpox vaccination’ made of goatpox virus (GTPV).

The Goatpox vaccine, as the name suggests, was originally developed for goats. It began to be used in cattle only as a temporary solution when no specific vaccine was available to protect from viral LSD. However, it is not so now. From India, 2022, a scientific proven, indigenous LSD-specific vaccine is easily available.

Kumar, who is the director of India’s Premier Virology Institute and India’s only LSD-specific inventor, Lampi-Provac also said: “While a safe and impressive homogeneous vaccine is available, the country continues to use the goatpox vaccine.”

Kumar developed the vaccine during his tenure at the National Research Center in ICAR at Equins (NRCE), Hisar during the outbreak of Kovid -19 epidemic. In 2022, while Kumar and his team pushed to the vaccine’s emergency approval, it was not able to achieve this, and India used the goatypox vaccine.

“I separated an LSD virus during the 2019 outbreak and developed a homogeneous, live-inndade vaccine using Ranchi stress. We developed a homogeneous, live-appended vaccine with a lump sum, live-attached vaccine, which is associated with the vaccine globally, which is connected to the waxin, such as the local inflammation. In the reduction and fever in 15 percent of vaccine animals “.

He recalled the chronology to make the vaccine and said that after controlled experimental tests in the calves, the LSD vaccine was tested on more than 2.5 lakh animals in field tests. “We have published data on 26,900 animals, proving that the vaccine is safe and effective. Otherwise, such a vaccine approval requires approximately 500–600 animals testing.”

However, he warned that with the immunity of the herd from the wave of 2022, there is a possibility of a major outbreak in 2025 if strong vaccination is not ensured.

Dual vaccine policy confusion

Although the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy (DAHD) issued a letter on June 11, 2025, the use of LSD vaccine with Goox was allowed, it clearly shut down the goat. Consequently, most of the state animal husbandry departments prioritize goatpox, citing existing stockpiles and lack of instructions.

This has created confusion between veterinary officers and state policy makers. “DAHD must issue clear instructions to phase out goatpox, as it provides limited protection. In addition, the use of both vaccines enhances the risk of re -regulation between the GTPV (Uttarkashi stress) and LSDV (Ranchi Strain) vaccine virus, probably leading to the emergence of a more viral virus,” said that said.

The co-horable of the vaccine, Dr. A similar concern has been raised by BN Tripathi, who led the National Research Center on Equins (NRCE), Hisar, when Kumar invented the vaccine.

“This dual vaccine policy is creating deep confusion among the state’s veterinary officials,” Tripathi, former Deputy Director General (Animal Science), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, News18.

“As long as DAHD issues clear orders to exclude the goatypox, the states will continue to use it despite its poor safety. W much worse, using both vaccines together can reinforce the vaccine strains – properly can produce a more viral virus.”

Despite vaccinating more than 100 million cattle annually with Bakripox since 2021, India has not seen any decisive evidence of its effectiveness. In Maharashtra alone, during the 2022 outbreak, more than 4.18 lakh cattle signed LSD despite vaccination, resulting in 32,000 deaths. Tripathi said, “Public expenses on goatpox vaccine already are more than Rs 400 crore annually.”

Why are goat vaccine to cattle?

According to veterinary animal scientist Tripathi, the incorrect strategy of using goat-povex vaccine instead of Lampi-Povel can undo hard-won profit and trigger escape livestock loss.

In March, Tripathi, who is now the Vice Chancellor, from the University of Agricultural Sciences and Jammu at the University of Sher-e-Kashmir, wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Animal Husbandry Department, requesting the idea of the vaccine “for the adoption of the vaccine.

Given its approval by the Central Drug Standards Control Organization (CDSCO), I am requesting your view to adopt this vaccine as soon as possible. Despite this, “Tripath has written by Tripath, without providing any scientific debate since its official release on August 10, 2022.

Tripathi has warned that the country can see another disastrous outbreak until large-scale vaccinations with homogeneous, live-attached vaccine are extended immediately-especially during monsoon, when the warm and humid position increases LSD transmission.

While some officers credits the goatpox vaccine for the current decline in LSD cases, he suggests the real reason that “temporary herds provided by widespread outbreaks of 2022”. This outbreak killed 165,000 cattle and increased to Rs 18,000 crore for economic losses. “This immunity is now wandering, and lacks immune strength to prevent revival in the goatpox vaccine.”

Five firms have commercial licenses

After successful laboratory tests on 2.79 lakh cattle, including pregnant and breastfeeding cows, the vaccine was licensed in 2022 for commercial production, after a large -scale field test. The vaccine produced by BIRAT BIOTECH Group was approved by the Drug Regulatory Authority of India in October 2024, and the vaccine is commercially available with the business name of “biolumpivaxin”.

There are five firms that are licensed for the construction of vaccine including Biovat, Hester Biosyins, Indian Immunological Limited, IVBP Pune and Karnataka government firms. Tripathi said, “This is just Rs 1-2 per dose and has already demonstrated game-changing results in real-world deployment.”

Unlike Bakripox vaccine, the Lampi-Provec is the world’s only diva (infected with vaccinated animals) marker vaccine, which meets the World Organization of the World Organization (WOAH) standards. Tripathi said, “It gives India a significant edge for exports and gives it a position to achieve freedom from the state of infection, which is impossible with goatpox.”

Created for “Chamatkari Parinam” by CM Yogi

The conversion power of the vaccine was seen in Gorakhpur in Gaushala of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Despite two rounds of goatpox vaccination, LSD outbreak continued in 2023. At the CM’s request, the indigenous vaccine was used – and the outbreak was brought almost immediately under control.

“They were informed that while the vaccine has not yet been approved, it could be injected. The vaccine showed the results and in fact, on 30 June at the convocation of the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), on 30 June, Yogi praised the performance of the vaccine as” Chamatakrik Parinam “(Mirakulus Outalom) and stood in the national role.”

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