PUNE
The Animal Husbandry Department of Pune district under its National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) will conduct an awareness week for the elimination of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). Several drives will be conducted between September 11 and 17 around the district, the officials said.
FMD is a highly contagious viral vesicular disease of cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats. The awareness drives will be organised for farmers, veterinarians, voluntary organisations, veterinary staff, exporters, dairy industries and vaccinators. FMD leads to a reduction in milk yield, decreased growth rate, infertility, reduced working capacity in bullocks, and trade embargo in the international market.
Pune district has the highest population of animals with 11.44 lakh cattle and buffaloes and 8.35 lakh sheep and goats. Last year ten cases of FMD were reported in cattle in Junnar. In 2021, as many as 35 FMD outbreaks were reported in the Pune region (Pune, Ahmednagar, Solapur, Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur districts) and over 1,500 cases were reported.
As per the officials, the control of FMD can be achieved by mass vaccination of susceptible livestock repeatedly at regular intervals till the incidence of the disease comes down. Although the number of FMD cases has decreased drastically, the European market will remain closed for milk and meat products until the FMD-free tag is achieved, the officials said.
Dr Y A Pathan, joint commissioner, Animal Husbandry, Diseases Investigation Centre, Pune, said the immunisation of animals for FMD will be started in October and before that, the awareness programme will be conducted.
“We aim at achieving an FMD-free tag through awareness and immunisation. Currently, the meat, milk and leather are exported to a few Gulf and African countries. But the significant European market is not open for our Milk and meat products as we are not yet FMD-free,” he said.
As per the officials, FMD is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of livestock that has a significant economic impact.
