TIRUNELVELI
With the Ranikhet disease or Newcastle disease, an acute viral disease threatening the poultry industry during this season every year, rearing its ugly head again in a few parts of the district, the Veterinary College and Research Institute has started vaccinating the poultry birds, particularly the native chicken, to save the farmers from suffering huge loss within the short duration of just a week.
Ranikhet, caused by serious avian paramyxovirus, leads to coughing, gasping, sneezing, diarrhoea, petechiae, twisted neck and paresis of legs and wings. Within 48 hours, the affected birds would lose strength, which will ultimately lead to death. Since this deadly virus would easily spread, it would cause huge loss to the farmers and is capable of destroying the entire chicken in the village within 36 hours during this season.
As the spreading of this disease was reported in a couple of villages, the VC and RI here has started vaccinating the birds with the funds sanctioned by Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology (TNSCST).
Under this programme, VC and RI organises awareness programmes on ‘Oral Pellet Vaccine for Newcastle Disease in Native Chicken’ under its Dissemination of Innovative Technology (DIT) programme. This scheme is being operated by Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education of Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tirunelveli with the target of reaching 100 beneficiaries in select villages.
As a part of this scheme, an awareness programme was organised at Chokkattanthoppu village here in which J. Johnson Rajeswar, Dean (In-Charge), Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tirunelveli, released the awareness pamphlet and administered Oral Pellet Vaccine to the native chicken. Twenty five Native Chicken farmers of Chokkattanthoppu participated and benefited.
In his address, Dr. Johnson exhorted the native chicken farmers to utilize the technologies, facilities and schemes being implemented through VC and RI for improving their socio-economic status.
Professor and Head, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education V. Thanaseelaan felicitated. Coordinator cum Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education S. Senthilkumar presented the details of the programme.
Assistant Professor, Livestock Farm Complex, D. Gandhimathi, and Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Microbiology M. Prabhu, handled the technical sessions and highlighted the importance of vaccination in native chicken to protect the birds from ranikhet.
