Emergence of the first Lumpy Skin Disease outbreak among livestock in the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2016.

Initially, LSD was reported in a cattle farm located 49 km from Kazakh –Russian border in, Atyrau Oblast in West Kazakhstan. Subsequently, the disease spread to neighbouring farms situated within the same district. Following a preliminary investigation, the local State Veterinary Service declared a strict quarantine according to the State Contingency Plan, along with immediate total stamping out and cattle movement restrictions.During the outbreak, the number of affected cattle within an epidemiological unit reached 459 cattle out of a registered number of 3557 susceptible cattle with 12.90% morbidity and 0.96%, mortality. This manuscript presents the epidemiological approach to the control measures used including mass vaccination and the eradication program.