Animal health

Subject – Agriculture

Context – Animals are susceptible to several diseases such as foot-and mouth disease (FMD), brucellosis, or Black Quarter

Concept –

Foot and mouth disease (FMD)

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of livestock that has a significant economic impact.
The disease affects cattle, swine, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed ruminants.
It is a transboundary animal disease (TAD) that deeply affect the production of livestock and disrupting regional and international trade in animals and animal products.
The disease is estimated to circulate in 77% of the global livestock population, in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, as well as in a limited area of South America.
FMD virus belongs to (risk group 4 as per World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)) Aphtho virus genus of the picornaviridae family.
FMD can spread when infected animals bring the virus into physical contact with susceptible animals.
Symptoms: The virus causes a high fever for two or three days, followed by blisters inside the mouth and on the feet that may rupture and cause lameness.
In rare cases, humans are also susceptible.
FMD is the first disease for which the OIE established an official list of disease-free countries which can be officially recognised as free of the disease either in their entirety or in defined zones and compartments..

Brucellosis

Brucellosis is a bacterial disease caused by various Brucella species, which mainly infect cattle, swine, goats, sheep and dogs.
Humans generally acquire the disease through direct contact with infected animals, by eating or drinking contaminated animal products, or by inhaling airborne agents.
The majority of cases are caused by ingesting unpasteurized milk or cheese from infected goats or sheep.
Person to person transmission is rare.
The disease causes flu-like symptoms, including fever, weakness, malaise and weight loss.
It is also known as Malta fever or Mediterranean fever.
It is usually treated with antibiotics, including rifampin and doxycycline.
Other preventive measures include cooking meat properly, vaccinating domestic animals, etc.

National Animal Disease Control Programme for Foot and Mouth Disease.

It is a 100% centrally funded programme, with a total outlay of Rs.12,652 crore from 2019 to 2024.
It aims to control Foot and Mouth Disease and Brucellosis by 2025 with vaccination and eventual eradication by 2030.

Black Quarter

Blackleg, black quarter, quarter evil, or quarter ill is an infectious bacterial disease most commonly caused by Clostridium chauvoei, a Gram-positive bacterial species.
It is an acute disease of cattle characterized by emphysematous swelling usually in heavy muscles.
It is seen in livestock all over the world, usually affecting cattle, sheep, and goats. It has been seen occasionally in farmed bison and deer.
The acute nature of the disease makes successful treatment difficult, and the efficacy of the commonly used vaccine is disputed.
Healthy animals in the age group 6 months to 2 years are generally affected.
Symptoms- Sudden high fever (107ºF-108ºF) and the animal stops eating and ruminating.