48% livestock vaccinated against foot & mouth disease

Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian said on Friday that over 48 per cent livestock in the state have been vaccinated against foot and mouth disease (FMD) within just 18 days of the statewide mass-immunisation drive that commenced on October 21.

According to him, five flying squads have been formed to assess the effectiveness of the immunisation drive. Each team has been assigned to cover four-five districts to verify the FMD immunisation data and visit livestock farms across the state.

Out of a total 65,47,407 livestock in the state, over 31.48 lakh cattle have been administered with the FMD vaccine by 816 teams of the Animal Husbandry Department. He directed the department authorities to ensure that all livestock were vaccinated against FMD by November 30.

Urging livestock farmers to take advantage of the drive to protect cattle from FMD, Khuddian mentioned that the Punjab Animal Husbandry Department had set up a control room at the state level, along with district-level control rooms at the offices of the Deputy Directors of the Animal Husbandry Department.

The department has also provided a helpline number (0172-5086064) to assist livestock farmers.