Pune: The state animal husbandry department’s Institute of Veterinary Biological Products (IVBP) has started producing the goatpox vaccine for the first time to protect cattle against lumpy skin disease (LSD), which has killed thousands of animals across Maharashtra in recent years.Officials said in-house production will reduce costs, end dependence on private suppliers and ensure uninterrupted vaccine availability during outbreaks. The state-run facility has advanced manufacturing and cold-storage infrastructure to meet field requirements.“We have received all the statutory sanctions from the authorities concerned to manufacture the goatpox vaccine, which we earlier procured from suppliers. It is a major advantage for the state because we will be able to continue the vaccination drive as per our plan,” Kiran Patil, animal husbandry commissioner, told TOI.The department is planning to launch the vaccination drive across the state this month.Officials said the move comes after Maharashtra witnessed repeated outbreaks of lumpy skin disease over the past five years, resulting in the deaths of thousands of cattle and causing substantial economic losses to dairy farmers and livestock owners.“The vaccination drive will continue for the next few months across the state. We do not want to face any eventuality arising from the disease during this season,” Patil added.“The institute is equipped with advanced production facilities and cold storage infrastructure that meet statutory standards. We require more than one crore doses to vaccinate cattle, and we have that capability. Based on our estimates, in-house production will reduce vaccine costs by nearly 50%,” YA Pathan, joint commissioner at IVBP and officer in charge of the institute, told TOI.“The biggest advantage is uninterrupted supply. We will be able to respond quickly to vaccination demands from districts and continue immunisation drives without delays,” he added.Lumpy skin disease, caused by a capripoxvirus, spreads primarily through blood-feeding insects such as mosquitoes, ticks and flies. The disease causes fever, skin nodules, reduced milk production, infertility and, in severe cases, death. Maharashtra, along with several other states, experienced major outbreaks between 2022 and 2025, affecting lakhs of cattle.Veterinary epidemiologists welcomed the development, describing it as an important step towards improving India’s preparedness against emerging livestock diseases.“Vaccine availability is often the most critical factor during outbreaks. State-level production facilities can ensure rapid deployment and reduce logistical bottlenecks,” said a senior official, adding that preventive vaccination remains the most effective strategy to limit the spread of the disease.According to animal health experts, the goatpox vaccine has been widely used as a heterologous vaccine against lumpy skin disease because both viruses belong to the same capripoxvirus group and provide cross-protection.Experts, however, also highlighted the growing importance of indigenous LSD-specific vaccines such as Lumpi-ProVac Ind, developed by researchers from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in collaboration with national veterinary institutions.“Lumpi-ProVac Ind represents a major scientific advancement because it is designed specifically against the lumpy skin disease virus isolated in India. It offers targeted protection and strengthens the country’s long-term disease-control strategy,” said a senior scientist who did not wish to be named.
