Tamil Nadu - Erode   

Blue tongue disease in Erode district under control

Staff Reporter

Pharmaceutical firms may get patent rights for producing vaccine

TAPPING RESOURCE: Rural women being given training in poultry management at Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Science University's Training And Research Centre in Erode on Tuesday. - Photo: M.Govarthan.

ERODE: Blue Tongue disease has affected some sheep and goats in Erode, but because of the timely action taken by the Veterinary Department the disease has been controlled, said the Head of the Training and Research Centre of the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Science University, A.M. Ramasamy.

He told The Hindu on Monday that during rain and winter haemorrhegic septicaesimia, oot and mouth and blue tongue diseases affected goats and sheep in the plains.

As on date in the district there are 4.50 lakh goats, 5.30 lakh sheep, 2.37 lakh buffaloes, 1.55 lakh cows and 2.22 lakh crossbreed cows. Free vaccine is available in the market for blue tongue disease. "At present limited quantity of vaccine is being produced and the University is taking all efforts to augment production. The university also thinking seriously of granting patent rights to some private pharmaceuticals producing the vaccine."

Drop in production cost

He said the recent rain had helped the milk producers and had led to a spurt in fodder growth. The cost of milk production has come down. He said along with green fodder, the milk producers were providing cottonseeds, bran etc. Mr. Ramasamy allayed fears over Birds Flu as no migratory birds from South East Asian countries visited India.

He said on behalf of the Veterinary University's Training and Research Centre, functioning at Erode, free five-day training on Poultry management was being imparted to rural women. Women members were being trained on how to start kitchen poultry in the backyard of their houses and marketing of eggs and broiler chicken. Each woman is given Rs 50 a day and so far three batches have undergone training. In each batch 30 women had benefited. Two more batches would be given training in the centre at Veerappanchatram.

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