Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD):

The foot-and-mouth disease is a highly communicable disease. It is characterized by fever, formation of vesicles and blisters in the mouth, udder, teats and on the skin between the toes and above the hoofs. Animals recovered from the disease present a characteristically rough coat and deformation of the hoof. In India, the disease is widespread and assumes a position of importance in livestock industry. The disease spreads by direct contact or indirectly through infected water, manure, hay and pastures. It is also conveyed by cattle attendants. It is known to spread through recovered animals, field rats, porcupines and birds.

• Fever around 40 degree Celcius.
• Ropes of stingy saliva hangs from mouth.

• Antiseptics can be applied externally to heal the ulcers and it can also help in warding off attacks by flies.

Anthrax:

Anhrax, a highly infectious and fatal disease of cattle, is caused by a relatively large spore-forming rectangular shaped bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax causes acute mortality in ruminants. The bacteria produce extremely potent toxins which are responsible for the ill effects. Signs of the illness usually appear 3 to 7 days after the spores are swallowed or inhaled. Once signs begin in animals, they usually die within two days.

• Difficulty breathing - This usually occurs over a period of 24 hours.
• High Temperature

• Due to the acute nature of the disease resulting in sudden death, treatment is usually not possible.
• Prevention can be the only treatment. Regular annual vaccination of animals should be done.

BQ (Black Quarter):

An acute disease of cattle characterized by swelling in heavy muscles. Contaminated pasture appears to be major source of infection. Healthy animals in the age group 6 months to 2 years are generally affected. Animal dies within 24-48 hours after appearance of symptoms.

• Sudden high fever (41ºC-43ºC) and the animal stops eating and ruminating.
• Swelling (hot) affects shoulders, chest and neck.

• Vaccinate all animals which are 6 months and above of age annually before the on­set of monsoon in endemic areas.
• Sprinkle lime over carcass at the time of burial.

• Treatment may be effective in initial stages of infection. However in most cases treatment is not worth it.

Rabies:

A bite from an infected wild animal or even a dog, such as a fox or raccoon, is a common method of infection in cattle. Saliva is the main method of transmission of the virus being shed through infected cattle and spreading through the body via the bloodstream. It travels to the spinal cord where it can incubate for 3-12 weeks. From the spine the virus moves into the brain, at which point clinical symptoms of rabies often appear in cattle.

• Cattle look very alert, aggresive and excited.
• Cattle make different sounds very frequently.
• Milk Production decreases rapidly due to lack of appetite and difficulty in swallowing.

• By limiting the number of wild animals carrying the virus and the chance that those animals will come in contact with pasture and farmland, the likelihood of rabies transmission can be reduced. Number of dogs or cats can also be limited away from the cattleshed.

• Leaves of chirchra (Achyranthes aspera) 100gm and onion 50 gm are ground well and smeared over the bitten place. The extract of these ingredients is administered orally twice in a day.