Vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease begins in Virudhunagar district

Free foot-and-mouth disease vaccination for cows and buffaloes in Virudhunagar district to prevent financial loss for farmers.

Around 1.75 lakh cows and buffaloes would be vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Virudhunagar district from Monday. The vaccination would conclude on January 5.

After formally inaugurating a vaccination camp at Inamreddiyapatti, Collector V. P. Jayaseelan said that the 6th round of vaccination under National Animal Disease Control Programme would be done free of cost for all animals.

A viral disease, FMD causes wounds in the mouth and feet of the animals resulting in financial loss for farmers. The animals suffer from fever and are unable to eat fodder. Pregnant animals suffer abortions.

Stating that FMD was a contagious disease, the Collector said that infection from one animal in the shed would spread to all animals through air.

Though the disease would not cause immediate death of the infected animals, it would affect their productivity. The disease would particularly affect hybrid animals.

The disease is predominantly found during the winter season and it would spread faster through animals which are bought from places where the infection is reported.

The disease spreads through milk, urine, dung and saliva of the unvaccinated animals.