Najaf has some of the worst water quality in all of Iraq. As the river runs south, untreated wastewater and chemical fertiliser dumped into it upstream makes the water increasingly unfit for consumption.
So far, the metropolis has not reported any confirmed case of lumpy skin disease which affects cattle like cows and buffaloes.
Currently, the livestock insurance coverage is low at 10.7 lakh animals despite the Centre and states providing assistance through respective schemes. Even banks provide insurance cover if farmers take loans for buying livestock.