Moradabad (UP), March 9 (IANS) Over two dozen cattle have reportedly been infected by a viral disease of which five have died.
These include two buffaloes and a calf in Agwanpur and two cows from the Sarai Farooq area.
Farmers in Moradabad said they were ‘tense’ as a viral outbreak threatened the lives of their cattle.
The chief veterinary officer has given instructions to monitor animals of the entire district and teams of veterinarians from across the district have taken samples of 25 sick animals and sent them to the Uttar Pradesh Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay University of Veterinary Science and Research for examination.
Cattle owners from Agwanpur said that they noticed signs of the disease around the neck and bottom of the legs of the cows.
The veterinary centre put the cows on saline for two days. “Animals are dying due to the spread of a disease in Agwanpur since the past sixteen days. In the neighbouring village, I know a farmer whose cow died due to similar symptoms,” said Nabi Hasan, a cattle owner.
Bhura Hassan and Mohammad Salim, residents of Mohalla Sarai Farooq, said that the livestock of many farmers living in the Mohalla Dhab area had died.
“Animals of mostly all the farmers fell sick. Not only this, but the disease also reached the village of Sandalipur and Pachokara, adjacent to Agwanpur. Animals of six farmers were sick there,” he said.
The team has reached Agwanpur and its surrounding villages and took samples.
Chief veterinary officer Dr Prem Singh said that all the veterinary doctors of the district were alerted. Everyone was asked to take samples of sick animals.
“So far, 25 samples have been sent for examination. It was revealed from testing that animals died of pneumonia,” Dr Singh said.
The virus can be detected early when the pox or skin nodules appear on the body of the animal. There is fever and enlargement of superficial lymph nodes. The virus is spread between animals. Many animals in a herd will be affected but a few will die from the disease. Death rates are greater among aged cattle, said experts.
Veterinarian Sunil Kumar told reporters that the affected animal is unable to eat anything due to blisters in hoof-mouth disease, which reduces its immunity. Because of this, other viruses also emerge. Pneumonia and diarrhoea occur in animals. If the animals are treated in time, death can be prevented.
Another veterinarian Dr Hasan said: “There is no specific antiviral treatment available for the infected cattle. Sick animals must be removed from the herd and given supportive treatment consisting of a local wound dressing to discourage flies and prevent secondary infections. Systemic antibiotics may be given for skin infections, cellulitis, or pneumonia, and food and water should be made readily available”.
The disease causes damage to the hide, loss of milk and beef production, abortions in females, and sterility in bulls. The economic losses in herds with the disease are very severe.
The disease, however, does not transmit from animals to human beings.
–IANS
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