Farmers in Chungnam province are facing a double whammy of extreme heat and a surge in livestock diseases. After enduring a record-breaking heatwave that severely impacted their livestock, farmers are now grappling with outbreaks of lumpy skin disease, African swine fever (ASF), and avian influenza (AI).
"We barely survived the heatwave that killed many of our cattle, and now we have to deal with this outbreak," said a 70-year-old farmer in Hongseong County, who asked to remain anonymous. "It's really tough."
As of October 29th, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has declared a "serious" alert for lumpy skin disease, ASF, and AI, as outbreaks have been reported across the country. Lumpy skin disease, a viral infection that causes fever and skin nodules in cattle, has been particularly prevalent in Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces, with 17 confirmed cases.
Chungnam, which experienced a significant lumpy skin disease outbreak last year, reported its first case of 2024 in Tangjin County on October 25th. The province is on high alert due to its previous experience with the disease.
To prevent the spread of the disease, local authorities have set up disinfection checkpoints at the entrances to livestock farms. Farmers are required to disinfect their vehicles before entering or leaving the farms.
"We are doing everything we can to prevent the spread of lumpy skin disease," said a livestock disease prevention official in Hongseong County. "We are closely monitoring the situation and conducting regular inspections of farms."
The outbreaks have had a significant impact on the livestock industry. The National Livestock Cooperative Federation of Daejeon, Sejong, and Chungnam has canceled all its events due to the spread of lumpy skin disease.
"We don't even know the full extent of the outbreak because the incubation period for lumpy skin disease can be up to 28 days," said Jo Man-hee, the head of the federation's local chapter.
In addition to lumpy skin disease, outbreaks of ASF and AI have been reported in other parts of the country, further heightening concerns about the potential spread of these diseases to Chungnam.
Chungnam is home to approximately 33 million livestock, including chickens, pigs, cattle, and ducks, making it the third-largest livestock-producing region in South Korea.
The recent outbreaks have also led to the cancellation of local festivals. For example, the Yesan Apple Festival was canceled due to poor crop yields caused by climate change and the nearby outbreak of lumpy skin disease.
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