BENGALURU: At a time when people are facing the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an outbreak of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in cattle in Karnataka and this has caused concern among farmers. Experts say the Union Government not carrying out the previous round of FMD vaccination owing to COVID-19 has resulted in the outbreak.
Similar to COVID-19, an animal infected with FMD needs to be kept in isolation as the disease first identified in 1883 can spread through the cattle's saliva, urine, dung and even air and is highly contagious. Under the National Animal Disease Control Programme, vulnerable animals, mainly cows and buffaloes, are vaccinated once every six months. The protection period of vaccination is 180 days.
In Karnataka, FMD vaccination programme was conducted in April 2020 and then again in October/November 2020. But since then, FMD vaccination drive has not been carried out owing to the pandemic. Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhan said FMD vaccination drive was purely a Government of India programme and it was not done because of the pandemic.
The disease, which was found in three districts till a couple of weeks ago, has now spread to nine districts, including Bengaluru Rural, Mandya, Ramanagara, Chikkaballapur, Chamarajanagar and Tumakuru.
"I have now ordered to resume the vaccination drive from the State Government. All cattle in 5 km radius of an infected cattle should be vaccinated. Our officials are trying to bring the situation under control," Chauhan said.
Prof Veeregowda BM of Karnataka Veterinary Animal and Fisheries Science University said that the prevalence of FMD was more in the southern districts of the state where there is high rate of crossbreeding of animals.
"In some districts, we see more of native breed and the impact is less. The government is adopting the ring-method of vaccination in which cattle in 5 km radius of an infected animal is vaccinated… this is the right thing to do," he said.
KNOW THE DISEASE
FMD is a contagious viral disease that affects animals and is the most serious livestock disease. It affects animals with divided hoofs including cows, bulls, buffaloes, sheep, goats and even pigs. This could cause serious health complications and sometimes turn fatal. FMD, however, does not affect humans.