A. Foot And Mouth Disease (Fmd)

· A Highly Contagious Viral Disease

· Spreads Through Contact, Contaminated Water, Feed And Air.

· Disease Is Rarely Fatal For Adults, However The Milk Production, Fertility In Females And Draft Power Of Males Are Severely Impaired For Life After Recovery From Disease.

· Usually Fatal In Calves.

· Also Affects Sheep, Goat (Usually Sub-Clinically And Are Maintenance Hosts) And Pigs, Which Are Amplification Hosts (Multiplies The Virus Around 3000 Fold).

Symptoms

· Drastic Drop In Milk Production And Working Capacity (Draft Animals).

· Fever And Serous Nasal Discharge And Excessive Salivation.

· Vesicles May Be Seen On Tongue, Dental Pad, Lips, Gums Etc.

· Vesicle In Inter-Digital Cleft May Lead To Lameness.

· Lesions On Teat May Lead To Mastitis.

· Loss In Condition May Persist Even After Recovery.

Prevention

· Get Your Animals Aged 4 Months And Above Vaccinated Once In 6 Months.

· Infected Animals Should Be Immediately Separated Since All Excretions And Secretions From Infected Animals Contain The Virus.

· All Feed And Fodder In Contact With The Infected Animal Should Be Destroyed.

· All Equipment Used Should Be Cleaned And Disinfected With 4% Sodium Carbonate Solution Or As Suggested By A Veterinarian.

· Healthy Animals Should Not Be Handled By Persons In Contact With Infected Animals.

· The Infected Premises Should Be Disinfected With 4% Sodium Carbonate Solution Or With The Disinfectant Suggested By A Veterinarian.

· Vaccinating Sheep, Goat And Pigs Would Control The Disease To A Better Extend.

· Informing Authorities Promptly Would Enable Them Initiate Control Measures At The Earliest Which Will Help In Limiting The Spread Of The Disease.

Management Of Fmd

· Treatment Is Only Symptomatic, The Disease Will Run Its Course.

· Emollients May Be Applied On Lesions To Soothe Pain.

· Contact Veterinarian For Suitable Advice.

B. Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (Hs)

· This Is An Acute Bacterial Disease Of Cattle And Buffaloes Which Usually Occurs During Monsoon.

· Mortality Rate May Be As High As 80 %.

· Germs Of This Disease Survive Longer In Humid And Waterlogged Conditions.

Symptoms

· High Temperature, Sudden Decrease In Milk Yield.

· Salivation And Serous Nasal Discharge.

· Severe Oedema Of The Throat Region.

· Difficultly In Breathing , Animal Produces A Grunting Sound.

· Animal Usually Dies Within 1-2 Days Of Showing Symptoms.

· Buffaloes Are Generally More Susceptible Than Cattle.

· Animals With Clinical Signs, Particularly Buffalo, Rarely Recover.

· In Endemic Areas, Most Deaths Seen In Older Calves And Young Adults.

Prevention

· Segregate The Sick Animal From Healthy Ones And Avoid Contamination Of Feed, Fodder And Water.

· Avoid Crowding Especially During Wet Seasons.

· Vaccinate All Animals Which Are 6 Months And Above Of Age Annually Before The Onset Of Monsoon In Endemic Areas.

Treatment

· Treatment Is Usually Ineffective Unless Treated Very Early , That Is During The Stage When Fever Sets In.

· Few Animals Survive Once Clinical Signs Develop.

· Case Fatality Approaches 100% If Treatment Is Not Followed At The Initial Stage Of Infection.

C. Black Quarter (Bq)

· An Acute Disease Of Cattle Characterized By Emphysematous Swelling Usually In Heavy Muscles.

· Buffaloes Usually Suffer From A Milder Form.

· Contaminated Pasture Appears To Be Major Source Of Infection.

· Healthy Animals In The Age Group 6 Months To 2 Years Are Generally Affected.

Symptoms

· Sudden High Fever (107ºf-108ºf) And The Animal Stops Eating And Ruminating.

· Characteristic Hot And Painful Swelling Develops On Loin And Buttocks Causing Lameness. Swelling Sometimes Affects Shoulders, Chest And Neck Also. When Pressed, A Crackling Sound Is Heard Because Of The Gas Accumulation In The Swellings.

· Animal Dies Within 24-48 Hrs. Of Appearance Of Symptoms. At This Juncture, Swellings Become Cold And Painless.

Prevention

· Vaccinate All Animals Which Are 6 Months And Above Of Age Annually Before The Onset Of Monsoon In Endemic Areas.

· Burning The Upper Layer Of Soil With Straw To Eliminate Spores May Be Of Help In Endemic Areas.

· Sprinkle Lime Over Carcass At The Time Of Burial.

Treatment

· Treatment May Be Effective In Initial Stages Of Infection. However In Most Cases Treatment Is Not Worth The While.

D. Brucellosis (Contagious Abortion)

· An Important Bacterial Disease Of Cattle And Buffalo.

· Leads To Loss In Milk Production, Loss Of Calf, Birth Of Weak Or Diseased Calf ,Repeat Breeding And Even Mastitis.

· Humans May Also Get The Disease From Consumption Of Raw Milk Of Infected Animal Or Contact With Uterine Discharges.

· The Disease Is Very Much Prevalent In India, Both In Humans And Animals.

Symptoms

· Abortion Occurs Typically After 5th Month Of Pregnancy.

· In An Infected Animal, Chances Of Abortion Reduces With Number Of Calving’s.

· No Abortions May Be Observed After 4th Calving, But Dam And Calf Remain Infected.

· Placental Retention May Lead To Infection And Even Death Of The Animal.

Prevention

· Vaccinate Female Calves (Not Male Calves) Between 4-8 Months Of Age.

· Only One Vaccination Is Required In Its Lifetime To Protect It From Brucellosis.

· Any Abortion From 5th Month Onwards Should Be Suspected For Brucellosis.

· Ideally Such Animals Should Be Culled. If Culling Is Not Possible, Isolate The Animal Immediately For A Minimum Of 20 Days After Calving/Abortion.

· The Aborted Foetus, Placenta, Contaminated Bedding, Feed Etc., Should Be Buried (At Least 4 Feet Deep) After A Liberal Sprinkling Of Lime. These Materials Contain Very High Bacterial Loads And If Disposed Improperly Cause The Spread Of Disease By Contaminating Food Sources (Pasture, Feed, Water Etc.).

· Disinfect The Shed After Isolating The Aborted Animal.

· When The Animal Is In Isolation, Disinfect The Lochia Discharges (Which Also Contain High Bacterial Loads) Daily With 1-2% Naoh Or 5% Sodium Hypochlorite (Bleach) Solution Till The Discharges Cease (Usually By 10 –15 Days).

· Do Not Handle Infected Material With Bare Hands Since The Disease Is Zoonotic.

Treatment

· There Is No Effective Treatment Once The Animal Is Infected Since The Bacteria Remains In The Body Of The Animal. Consult A Veterinarian In Case Of Suspicion.

· Disease In Humans Is Curable Provided Proper Treatment Regimen Is Followed.

E. Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (Ibr)

· An Important Viral Disease Affecting Domestic And Wild Cattle And Buffaloes.

· There Are Three Forms : Respiratory, Genital And Encephalitic, The First Two Are More Common. There Is A High Prevalence Of This Disease In India.

· Causes Abortions, Rop, Moderate Reduction In Milk Production And Even Death In Calves. Infection Can Be Transmitted Through Semen.

Symptoms

· Coughing, Profuse Bilateral Serous Discharge From Nostrils And Pyrexia.

· Rhinitis, Conjunctivitis (One Or Both Eyes) With Profuse Ocular Discharge.

· In Genital Form, Swollen Vulva With Papules Which Later Become Ulcers.

· Abortion Is Common At 6-8 Months Of Pregnancy.

· Uncomplicated Cases Of Respiratory And Genital Forms Usually Resolves In 5-10 Days. Infected Animals May Carry The Virus Throughout Its Lifetime.

· The Brain May Be Effected In Calves Below 6 Months Causing High Mortality.

Prevention And Control

· Purchase New Animals Only After Testing Them.

· Induct Only Negative Animals To Your Farm.

· Though Vaccination Is A Method Of Prevention, No Vaccines Are Produced In India Presently For Ibr.

· Consult A Veterinarian Immediately If The Above Symptoms Are Seen To Prevent The Disease From Spreading.

F. Rabies

· A Highly Fatal Viral Disease Mainly Transmitted By Bite Of A Rabid Dog.

· Humans Can Get The Disease Through Bites Of Rabid Dogs.

· Wild Carnivores And Bats Also Present A Considerable Risk Where The Disease Is Prevalent. The Disease Is Endemic In India.

Common Symptoms

· Hyperexcitability.

· Drooling Of Saliva

· Peculiar Hoarse Sound (Bellowing)

· Aggression Or Paralysis

· The Animal Dies Within 24-48 Hours After Appearance Of First Sign, Which May Be Mostly Seen Within 3 Weeks Or As Late As 5-6 Months Of The Dog Bite. Once Symptoms Are Seen, Death Is Inevitable.

Prevention

· Wash The Wound Immediately In Running Water For 5-10 Minutes.

· Gently Clean The Wound With Bath Soap.

· Consult A Veterinarian Immediately.

· Carry Out Post-Bite Vaccination In Suspected Cases. (See Chapter On Vaccination)

· Protect Your Pet Dogs And Cats Against The Disease Through Annual Vaccination.

G. Anthrax

· A Highly Fatal Bacterial Disease Affecting All Farm Animals.

· Disease Is Characterized By High Fever, Respiratory Distress, Bleeding From Orifices And Sudden Death.

· Infection Is Due To Ingestion Of Contaminated Feed And Fodder With Spores Of The Bacteria, Which Can Survive For Up To 30 Years In The Soil.

· Treatment Is Usually Ineffective Unless Done At Very Early Stages.

· Humans Get Infection By Eating Infected Raw Meat, Contact With Infected Animals Or By Inhalation Of Spores.

Prevention

· Regular Annual Vaccination Of Animals In Endemic Areas Will Prevent The Disease From Occurring.

· Vaccination May Be Carried Out At Least A Month Prior To Expected Disease Occurrence In Endemic Areas.

· Never Open A Carcass Of An Animal Suspected To Have Died From Anthrax.

· Contact A Veterinarian Immediately If The Above Symptoms Are Seen And Seek Advice On Control Measures To Be Adopted.

H. Theileriosis (A Protozoan Disease)

· Young Exotic And Crossbred Cattle Are Highly Susceptible. Indian Breeds Of Cattle (Zebu) Are Comparatively Resistant.

· Buffaloes Are Also Infected But Symptoms Are Mild.

· Fever, Swollen Peripheral Lymph Nodes, Pallor Of Mucous Membranes, Anaemia, Nasal Discharge, Jaundice, Salivation, Rapid And Shallow Breathing , Watery Eyes Etc. Are Common Symptoms.

· Cattle Lose Condition Rapidly.

· Some Animals Show Nervous Signs Characterized By Stepping Gait, Head Pressing, Recumbency, Unconsciousness And Death.

Prevention And Treatment

· Regular Tick Control Is The Most Effective Way To Keep These Infections In Check (See Chapter On Tick Control).

· Seek Veterinary Treatment If Above Symptoms Of Any Of The Above Diseases Are Seen, Since Treatment Is Most Effective In The Initial Stages. Delays May Result In Death.

· For Control Of Theileriosis, Vaccinate All Exotic And Crossbred Animals Aged 3 Months And Above, Once In Its Lifetime.

I. Vaccination Schedules For Cattle And Buffaloes

S.No

Name Of Disease

Age At First Dose

Booster Dose

Subsequent Dose(S)

1

Foot And Mouth Disease (Fmd)

4 Months And Above

1 Month After

First Dose

Six Monthly

2

Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (Hs)

6 Months And Above

-

Annually In Endemic Areas.

3

Black Quarter (Bq)

6 Months And Above

-

Annually In Endemic Areas.

4

Brucellosis

4-8 Months Of Age

(Only Female Calves)

-

Once In A Lifetime

5

Theileriosis

3 Months Of Age And

Above

-

Once In A Lifetime. Only Required

For Crossbred And Exotic Cattle.

6

Anthrax

4 Months And Above

-

Annually In Endemic Areas.

7

Ibr

3 Months And Above

1 Month After

First Dose

Six Monthly (Vaccine Presently Not

Produced In India)

8

Rabies (Post Bite Therapy Only)

Immediately After Suspected Bite.

4th Day

7,14, 28 And 90 (Optional) Days

After First Dose.

J. Important Points To Be Noted During Vaccination

· Animals Should Be In Good Health At The Time Of Vaccination.

· The Cold Chain Of The Vaccines Wherever Prescribed Should Be Maintained Till The Time Of Administration To The Animal.

· The Manufacturers’ Instruction On The Route And Dosage Should Be Strictly Followed.

· A Minimum Vaccination Coverage Of 80% Of Population Is Required For Proper Control Of The Disease.

· It Is Beneficial To Deworm The Animals 2-3 Weeks Before Vaccination Is Carried Out For Better Immune Response.

· Vaccination Should Be Carried Out At Least A Month Prior To The Likely Occurrence Of The Disease.

· Vaccination Of Animals In Advanced Pregnancy May Be Avoided Even Though In Most Cases Nothing Untoward May Happen.

K. Common Reasons For Vaccination Failure

· Lack Of Maintenance Of Cold Chain From The Time Of Manufacture Till Vaccination.

· Poor Immune Response In Weak And Improperly Fed Animals.

· Lack Of Herd Immunity Due To Only A Few Animals Being Vaccinated.

· Poor Quality Of Vaccine – Quality Will Deteriorate If Repeatedly Thawed And Cooled.

· Low Efficiency Or Ineffective Vaccine – May Occur In Case Of Strain Variation (Eg. Fmd).