PUTRAJAYA, June 27 — The carcass or meat of buffaloes or cattle infected with Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) are safe, said the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS).
DVS, in a statement today said this is because LSD is not a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans.
However, DVS said the meat can only be eaten after undergoing inspections by the relevant authorities.
The lumpy skin infected livestock meat must also be properly cooked as the LSD virus can be eliminated in a temperature of 65 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes, it added.
The statement said that all cows or buffaloes infected with LSD are required to be slaughtered at the DVS’ slaughterhouse before undergoing antemortem and postmortem inspections, as provided for under the Meat Inspection Rules 1985.
“If nodular lesions are detected in the animals’ carcass, meat or internal organs, it will be completely disposed of in accordance with the Disposal of Infected Animal Carcass standard operating procedure.
“The LSD nodular lesions are usually only found on the skin layer of livestock,” said DVS.
LSD caused by Poxviridae virus can spread among cattle through insect vector bites such as mosquitoes, transmitted through saliva and the noses of infected cattle.
Clinical signs in infected cattle are nodules on the skin on part or all of the animal’s body.
— Bernama
