Cattle vaccine shortage worries farmers in state

The state is facing a shortage of foot and mouth disease vaccines and several districts like Erode, Krishnagiri, Theni, Tiruvarur, Vellore and Coimbatore with large cattle population are awaiting foot and mouth disease vaccines, Animal Husbandry Department sources said. 

“A few days ago former chief minister O Panneerselvam also issued a statement pointing out that the livestock population in the state are not covered under the FMD vaccines. Stating that there is a threat for the lives and productivity of cattle, but there is no improvement in the procurement of vaccine,” said a government veterinarian. The state should have completed the livestock vaccination ahead of monsoon and there is a need to vaccinate about 87 lakh cattle in the state, he added. 

“Tamil Nadu is one of the leading states with a good milch cow population. Any infection of FMD disease will inflate the mortality rate and the infected cows usually face loss of milk production affecting the farmers’ livelihood and vaccinating animals during monsoon or heavy rains will only add more stress to the animals,” said M Balaji, convenor, Tamil Nadu Veterinary Graduates Federation. 

Nearby Kerala has intensified the vaccination drive and they have planned to inoculate the cattle population by November 3 and Tamil Nadu had already missed the usual September deadline. Already vaccination shortage had been reported and there is a need for an immediate drive across the state, he added. 

“I have around 7 cows and four of them were vaccinated last year and this year there is no stock,” said a farmer based in Namakkal. 

When contacted, a government official said that the issue had been taken up and steps taken to address the vaccine shortage. By next month Tamil Nadu is planning to complete the livestock vaccination drive, the official said.