New Delhi, Dec 31 : Aiming to ensure large-scale production of vaccine for controlling Lumpy Skin Disease, a partnership was signed in the presence of Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, the Chief Minister and Deputy CM of Maharashtra. The Minister said that this MoU will also ensure large-scale production of Goat Pox vaccine for future needs of India's livestock sector. Currently, Goat Pox vaccine is used for controlling Lumpy Skin Disease in animals and this has been proven effective against Lumpy. National Centre for Veterinary Type Culture, ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (ICAR-NRCE), Hisar (Haryana), in collaboration with ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izatnagar (Uttar Pradesh) developed a homologous live-attenuated LSD vaccine, named Lumpi-ProVac. Agrinnovate India Limited (AgIn), the commercial arm of DARE, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare granted "Non-Exclusive Rights" for Commercial production of "Lumpi-ProVac", to Institute of Veterinary Biological Products (IVBP), Pune on Saturday. Lumpi-ProVac is safe in animals and induces LSDV-specific antibody-and cell-mediated immune response, besides providing complete protection against lethal LSDV challenge. The vaccine is used for the prophylactic immunization of animals against Lumpy Skin Disease, which illicit protection for about one year. While the vaccine is stored at 4 degrees Celsius, it must be shipped on ice and must be used within a few hours after reconstitution. The patent has been filed by the ICAR for the technology. The Lumpy Skin Disease has been reported in various parts of the country from 2019 while the first case was reported in the state of Odisha. After that, it has spread to multiple states in the country. In 2019, deaths of a large number of cattle has been reported from different states with high morbidity, especially in the North-West region of the country. The disease has been controlled and contained with the available Goatpox vaccine in the country. Considering the heavy production losses and mortality of a sizable number of cattle, the ICAR has initiated research on development of indigenous homologous vaccine against Lumpy Skin Disease. /IANS