Cumilla, Sept 4 (V7N) – Fisheries, Livestock, and Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid today said the locally developed Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) vaccine will play a vital role in protecting cattle and reducing farmers' financial losses, as the government aims to lower costs and expand availability through domestic production .

"Once the vaccine produced using domestic technology is marketed, farmers' costs will come down, its availability will increase and the livestock sector will become more sustainable," the minister said while speaking as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of a vaccination campaign for LSD and Goatpox vaccines at Raichu Eidgah field in Adarsha Sadar upazila .

The country requires around 2.5 crore doses of LSD vaccine annually and has so far remained dependent on imported vaccines, the minister said . A locally developed vaccine could save the livestock sector billions of taka each year—the imported vaccine costs Tk 250–300 per dose, while the BLRI-produced vaccine is being sold to farmers for just Tk 25–30 with a government subsidy .

Rashid urged farmers to vaccinate their livestock regularly, saying timely vaccination against LSD must be ensured to keep cattle healthy . "If the disease breaks out at a farm, it can quickly spread to other animals. Therefore, maximum importance should be given to preventive measures," he added .

The minister also emphasized cultivating newly developed high-nutrition grass to reduce feed costs, noting that BLRI's new grass variety contains around 18 percent protein** . "By cultivating this grass, farmers will be able to produce quality animal feed at lower costs and reduce their dependence on granular feed," he said .

Additionally, the government is taking a new initiative to conserve and expand the country's indigenous Black Bengal goat. Under the programme, union-level entrepreneurs will be developed, training provided, improved goat breeds supplied, and marketing support extended, with priority given to women and young entrepreneurs .

The vaccination campaign formally began today with 2,000 doses of LSD vaccine and 100 doses of Goatpox vaccine administered in the upazila . BLRI Director General Dr Shakila Faruq presided over the event, while Department of Livestock Services Director General Md Shahzaman Khan spoke as special guest .

END/AJ/RH/