The Hindu : Front Page : 40,000 milch animals immunised

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Tuesday, Jul 29, 2008
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40,000 milch animals immunised

R. Sairam

Exercise undertaken to prevent foot-and-mouth disease
Disposable needles and syringes used

MADURAI: The Madurai Aavin has completed a massive vaccination campaign immunising all the 40,000-odd milch animals under its milk producing cooperative societies (MPCS) against foot-and-mouth disease.

The campaign covered all the 876 MPCS in Madurai and Theni districts that supply milk to Madurai Aavin. “By adopting this precautionary measure, the disease outbreak will be prevented, automatically resulting in higher calving and increased milk production. The immunisation drive was completed on July 20,” K. Thangarajan, General Manager (in-charge) of Madurai Aavin, told The Hindu on Saturday.

Foot-and-mouth disease, a viral affliction among clove-footed animals, is seasonal in nature and causes mouth ulcers and viral fever resulting in decreased milk yield.S. Karthikeyan, Marketing and Milk Production Manager, said that all the milch-animals, which include cows and buffaloes, were covered in 25 days.

Fourteen veterinary doctors from the Aavin administered the vaccine at mass camps conducted at every village.Last year, around 27,000 cattle were covered, he said.

Since there was an outbreak of this disease in the region in 2007, there was a slight fall in the yield. To prevent re-occurrence, 100 per cent coverage of milch animals was targeted, he said.

. In keeping with the best practices, disposable needles and syringes were used, Dr. Karthikeyan said.

Apart from this drive, the Aavin deployed eight mobile veterinary units to visit the MPCS every week. All treatments were provided free of cost, he said.

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