Punjab deploys veterinarians in villages hit by cattle disease

Animals in Ludhiana, Moga and Muktsar districts have contracted the disease. To prevent further spread, the department has distributed over 81,000 doses of the vaccine

Chandigarh The Punjab animal husbandry department has deployed teams of veterinarians and doctors in districts, where outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has been reported among cattle. Animal husbandry minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa said, “Ring vaccination of 100% livestock within a radius of 5-10 km villages that have been hit has been completed.”

The Centre implements mouth-to-mouth immunisation programme. (HT Photo)

Animals in Ludhiana, Moga and Muktsar districts of have contracted the disease. To prevent further spread, the department has distributed over 81,000 doses of the vaccine. “I am collecting daily reports and monitoring the situation,” Bajwa added.

Mouth-to-mouth immunization programme is being implemented by the Centre under the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP). “Under this programme, the Centre provides the vaccines. A vaccination drive was started in October 2020 to immunise the state’s cattle. The vaccine could not meet prescribed standards, forcing the Centre’s animal husbandry department to withdraw it. The Centre has, now, told us that it will be resupplied only after its availability with it,” Bajwa added.