Camps in Erode to vaccinate 3.05 lakh cattle against foot-and-mouth disease to be held from July 2 to 31
A release said farmers' additional income largely depends on livestock, and FMD remains a challenge. The disease commonly affects the legs and mouths of cows and buffaloes, causing reduced milk yield, infertility, lower draught power, and increased mortality in calves — leading to economic losses.
Under the National Animal Disease Control Programme, the seventh round of FMD vaccination will be carried out by the Department of Animal Husbandry to protect livestock.
The free vaccination drive for cattle and buffaloes will cover all hamlets, revenue villages, town panchayats, municipalities, and corporations. A total of 114 teams have been formed for the drive, and 3,38,200 vaccine doses have been procured and stored safely in a cold room at the Animal Disease Investigation Unit.
Livestock owners are urged to make use of the special camps to vaccinate their animals and protect them from the disease, the release added.
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Indian Express
12-08-2025
- Indian Express
When your pet needs a blood transfusion: Govt's plan to set up a network of blood banks for animals
The Union government is working on ways to facilitate and standardise blood banking and blood transfusion in veterinary care. The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying invited comments from experts, institutions, and the public on draft 'Guidelines/ Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Blood Transfusion & Blood Bank for Animals in India' that it prepared last month. What do the draft guidelines say, and what are the implications for the animal husbandry and dairying sector, as well as pets? Why are SOPs needed for blood transfusions in animals? India is home to a very large livestock population of 536.76 million, according to the 20th Livestock Census conducted in 2019, and is also seeing a boom in the practice of keeping pets or companion animals. Livestock include cattle, buffalo, goats, and sheep, as well as animals such as horses, ponies, mules, donkeys, camels, and pigs. India has the world's largest population of cattle and buffalo, and the second-largest population of goats. The population of companion animals is estimated at 125 million, according to the draft guidelines. The livestock and companion animal sector plays a pivotal role in the country's agricultural economy and rural livelihoods. The animal husbandry and dairying sector contributes about 30 per cent of the agricultural GVA and 5.5 per cent of the national economy. Given this context, there is an urgent need to formalise critical and emergency veterinary care services, including blood transfusion support across species, the draft says. Blood transfusion, it says, is 'increasingly recognized globally as a life-saving intervention, essential for managing trauma, severe anemia, surgical blood loss, infectious diseases, and coagulation disorders'. India, the draft notes, 'lacks a national regulatory framework and standardized protocols guiding veterinary transfusion medicine with structured blood banking and transfusion practices'. Most animal blood transfusions are dependent on 'hospital-available or client-owned donors, without consistent screening, blood typing, or standard operating protocols'. According to the government, the SOPs will address this situation 'by providing structured, ethical, and scientifically sound guidance on donor selection, blood collection, processing, storage, transfusion procedures, and safety monitoring'. The volume of blood in both humans and animals ranges between 7 per cent and 9 per cent of body weight. Transfusion is required when the volume of blood falls below this level. Cattle have 55 ml of blood per kg of their body weight, and at an average weight of 300 kg, each head of cattle carries 16.5 litres of blood. Dogs, horses, goats and sheep, pigs, and cats carry blood volumes of 86 ml, 76 ml, 66 ml, 65 ml, and 55 ml respectively. Like humans, there are a large number of blood groups in animals, produced by species-specific antigens on the cell membrane of their red blood cells. There are 11 blood groups in cattle, 9 in dogs, 8 in horses, and 4 in cats, according to the draft guidelines. How will the animal blood banks be stocked? As per the draft guidelines, donor animals — whether canine, feline, or livestock — must meet laid-down criteria for being able to donate blood. These include: General health and suitability: The animal must be clinically healthy with no signs of systemic illness, and be free from tick-borne and vector-borne diseases. Age and weight requirements: Donor dogs must be between 1 and 8 years of age, with a minimum body weight of 25 kg; cats must ideally be of age between 1 and 5 years, with a minimum body weight of 4 kg, and not be obese; livestock must be selected from among healthy adults on the basis of species-specific clinical norms. Vaccination and reproductive health: Donor animals must be fully vaccinated, especially against rabies, and should have been regularly dewormed. Female donor animals must not be pregnant or recently lactating. Frequency of donations: Dogs are eligible for donation every 4-6 weeks, cats every 8-12 weeks. A minimum 30-day interval between successive donations is mandatory, as per the guidelines. And where will the veterinary blood banks be located? The veterinary blood banks will be hosted at veterinary colleges and universities, referral hospitals and polyclinics, large veterinary diagnostic centres, and multi-speciality animal hospitals operated by the government. 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No monetary incentives should be offered to pet owners or livestock keepers,' says the draft. However, the consent of the owner is mandatory for every donation.
Hindustan Times
05-08-2025
- Hindustan Times
Spotted, Sambar deer from Katraj Zoo to be relocated to Sahyadri Tiger Reserve
PUNE: Plans are afoot to relocate a group of spotted (Chital) and Sambar deer from the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park in Katraj (Katraj Zoo) to the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) in Kolhapur as part of a broader initiative to decongest the deer enclosure at the zoo while strengthening the prey base within the tiger reserve and improve its ecological balance. New Delhi, India - April 4, 2017: A group of spotted deer at Delhi Zoo in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. (Photo by Ravi Choudhary/ Hindustan Times) (Ravi Choudhary/HT PHOTO) A team from STR visited the Katraj Zoo on Monday to assess the feasibility of such a transfer and initiate the process. The inspection team, led by Amit Bhise, assistant conservator of forests, Chandoli division, STR, carried out a detailed survey of the facilities, condition of the animals, and the logistics involved in the possible relocation. Zoo director Rajkumar Jadhav confirmed the visit and shared that the inspection was carried out as part of a collaborative effort between the zoo and the forest department. 'This was a demand made by the forest department and we consider it a positive and cooperative step toward strengthening the prey base within the reserve,' Jadhav said. However, he refrained from providing details on the number of deer to be shifted or the final timeline of the relocation. A senior forest official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that the zoo currently houses around 82 deer - down from 98 after 16 deer died of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in July - and the proposal to shift some of them to STR has been under discussion for quite some time. The department has already obtained the necessary permissions from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) which oversees such transfers to ensure compliance with wildlife regulations and animal welfare norms. According to the official, the recent field visit marks an important step forward. 'Monday's visit was to assess the ground reality, and it will be followed by a thorough health checkup of the animals in the coming days. Only after ensuring their fitness for relocation will the final decision be taken. As of now, the exact number of deer to be relocated has not been finalised,' the official said. Spotted deer (Chital) are an essential part of forest ecosystems. They adapt well to wild habitats and play a vital role in maintaining the food chain. Their introduction into the STR is expected not only to enhance the prey base for apex predators like tigers and leopards but also contribute to the overall health of the forest ecosystem. Officials emphasised that the planned transfer is not merely a logistical exercise but an important component of ecological management aimed at sustaining the reserve's biodiversity. The presence of a healthy prey base is critical to the survival and stability of large carnivore populations, and the forest department hopes that this relocation will help in bolstering the habitat's natural balance over the long term. The relocation, once finalised, is expected to proceed in a phased manner, taking into account animal welfare, climatic conditions, and transport feasibility. Tushar Chavan, field director, Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, said, 'The plan is to enhance the prey base by releasing a healthy population of deer into the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve. These animals will initially be housed in a safe, controlled environment within the reserve to help the population establish and grow. After that they will be released to the wild. During today's site visit, we felt it was prudent to conduct a full health screening before proceeding. We'll make the next move once the health reports are in.' Aditya Paranjape, honorary wildlife warden, Pune Forest department, who was also present during the visit said, 'This plan was cleared some time ago, but operational delays pushed it back. The process has resumed, but due to a recent foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, health screenings are now essential. Once they're cleared as healthy, the transfer will go ahead.'
Hindustan Times
27-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
PMC seeks explanation from zoo authorities over deer deaths
After laboratory reports confirmed that foot and mouth disease (FMD) caused the recent deaths of 16 spotted deer at the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, Pune municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram has directed zoo authorities to submit a detailed explanation. In response, the zoo's health advisory committee implemented emergency biosecurity measures and carried out preventive vaccinations for the remaining animals. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC) 'The civic chief has issued instructions. Further action will follow once the report is submitted,' said Omprakash Diwate, additional municipal commissioner. Between July 6 and July 12, the Katraj zoo reported the deaths of 16 spotted deer — 14 females and two males — triggering serious concerns about the zoo's health monitoring and safety protocols. In response, the zoo's health advisory committee implemented emergency biosecurity measures and carried out preventive vaccinations for the remaining animals. Food, water, and blood samples were sent to national laboratories for analysis. On July 25, reports from the ICAR-National Institute on Foot and Mouth Disease (Bhubaneswar) and the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (Bhopal) confirmed that all 16 deer died due to FMD. Following the confirmation, PMC has asked the zoo director to submit a comprehensive report outlining the sequence of events, initial detection, response measures taken, and whether there was any human error or negligence. 'If any lapses are found, strict action will be taken against officials or staff,' Diwate said.
