The Department of Agriculture has imposed a temporary ban on the importation of live cattle and buffalo, as well as their products, from Japan due to the outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) based on memorandum order no. 57.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the import ban is essential to protect the local cattle and water buffalo populations from the LSD virus.

LSD is a viral disease that primarily affects cattle, often leading to severe complications or death. Symptoms include fever, nodules on the skin and internal organs, significant weight loss, swollen lymph nodes, and fluid accumulation under the skin.

Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reported the outbreak to the World Organization for Animal Health on November 15, 2024, identifying Maebaru, Fukuoka, as the affected area.

In addition to live animals, the ban extends to cattle and water buffalo products and by-products, including unpasteurized milk and milk products, embryos, skin, and semen used for artificial insemination.

However, certain products are exempted from the ban, provided they meet Philippine import and health standards. These include skeletal muscle meat, casings, gelatin and collagen, tallow, hooves and horns, blood meal and flour, bovine and water buffalo bones and hides, and pasteurized milk.

This precautionary measure is intended to safeguard the country’s livestock industry from potential risks posed by the spread of LSD. ###