FMD vaccination for cattle begins in Vellore, Ranipet districts

A vaccination drive against the Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) for cattle in Vellore and Ranipet districts was launched on Wednesday.

Officials of the Department of Animal Husbandry, which executes the drive, said that the vaccine is administered to the cattle twice a year, free of cost. Cattle, including milch cows, buffalo, bulls, goats, sheep, and pigs, will be vaccinated. “Generally, the vaccination against the disease is done in September and February every year, depending on its availability. In Vellore, the three-week drive up to July 22 will cover around 1.85 lakh cattle,” Dr. G. Anbuvan, Assistant Director (AD), Department of Animal Husbandry (Vellore), told The Hindu.

Executed under the Centrally sponsored National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), the vaccine helps to boost the immunity of the animals and thereby prevent loss of income for dairy farmers. The drive was launched by Collectors V.R. Subbulaxmi and J.U. Chandrakala in Vellore and Ranipet districts, respectively. In Ranipet, around 1.90 lakh cattle will be vaccinated till July 31. 

Among these districts, Tiruvannamalai has the highest number of 7.44 lakh cattle that will be covered under the programme this season, followed by Vellore (1.85 lakh cattle), Ranipet (1.90 lakh cattle) and Tirupattur (1.15 lakh cattle).

Veterinarians said that high fever, boils in the mouth and feet, loss of weight, and swelling in the mouth are some of the symptoms of the disease, which spreads through airborne transmission. The infection spreads during cold weather and monsoon especially between November and December every year in these districts.