Animal Husbandry Dept on high alert to protect livestock from potential diseases

To protect animals from potential diseases — especially after several villages in the Pehowa and Shahabad sub-divisions were affected by waterlogging — the Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department in Kurukshetra is holding animal health check-up camps.

As per data shared by the department, 30 animal health care camps in 22 affected villages have been organised over the last 10 days.

Teams of the department have been put on high alert in villages affected by waterlogging due to the overflowing of the Markanda, and canals.

As many as 2,680 animals were checked and 1,285 animals were dewormed at the camps. Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department, Thanesar, Jasvir Panwar said an advisory had been issued in this regard, and livestock owners were being educated about precautions.

The department is in constant touch with Sarpanches of the affected villages in a bid to ensure that immediate relief can be provided to affected animals.

Livestock owners are being advised to keep animals away from waterlogged areas — animals grazing on grass near these can prove dangerous as it may be contaminated with worms or pesticides.

They have also been told to ensure that dry fodder is moisture and fungal free, otherwise it could cause stomach problems for livestock; and to provide clean, fresh water to animals. They were advised to protect animals with mosquito net and other measures to prevent vector-borne diseases such as theileriosis, babesiois, and anaplasmosis.

Animal shed should be dry and clean, otherwise hooves of animals could be affected; and affected hooves may be washed with antiseptic lotion, cattle owners have been advised.

“No animal death due to waterlogging has been reported, and no outbreak of the disease has also been reported as livestock owners had shifted their animals to safe places. Also, they had stocked dry fodder in their houses. All affected villages have been covered in the first phase of the programme, and alternate-day visits are being made by teams in affected villages,” The SDO said. “Worm load usually increases during the monsoons, so regular deworming should be done in the season. Livestock owners should vaccinate their animals. Dual vaccination against haemorrhaegic septicemia and foot-and-mouth disease in cattle and buffalo will be done in campaign mode soon.”

Dry fodder provided in worst-hit villages

• According to SDO Jasvir Panwar, in some villages, the demand for dry fodder was raised by livestock owners

• About 65-quintal dry fodder was provided to the worst-affected villages — Kathwa, Tangore, Nagla, Sulakhni and Dera Mohammed Shah — with the help of animal husbandry staff and nearby villages, he added

• About 35-quintal animal fodder was donated by the department’s Kurukshetra unit to Punjab, he said