The outbreak the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) among the cattle, even the vaccinated animals, has been worrying the officials of animal husbandry department.
According to sources, at least four FMD cases have been reported in the State including one animal affected with the disease at the Frozen Semen Bull Station in Karminagar. The rest were reported at a research centre in Nandyal of Kunrool district, Tirupati zoo and a private dairy in Ranga Reddy district.
The animals in South India are being usually vaccinated for O-type virus in addition to three other types— C, A and Asia 1. The vaccination is being conducted twice in a year with six month gap following the strict protocols. The FMD is one of the listed diseases by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
Lab report awaited
Continuous rain in the State in the recent past is being attributed as one of the cause of the outbreak of FMD in the above mentioned incidents. “Food, fodder and water contamination may be one of the reasons for the outbreak. Though, not many animals were affected with the FMD, we treat it as outbreak. This was reported to national animal disease testing laboratories and we are waiting for their report,” Dr. Dasyam Venkateswarlu, Commissioner and Director, Animal Husbandry told The Hindu .
Stating that crossbred animals are susceptible to FMD , Mr Venkateswarlu said that this would be proven economically disastrous for the farmers as the animals would cripple and milk yield would be reduced. More than 2,000 animals reportedly died due to FMD in Karnataka in recent past
