By The Editor
Animals like cows, sheep and goats, pigs, camels, yaks, horses, etc. are being kept and
reared for various benefits like meat, hide, milk and dairy products which are essential for health. Therefore it is important to feed cattle and livestock well and regularly so that they will grow and be healthy. Like human beings, animals also face more or less similar problems like heat and cold. Cattle diseases are another problem and if no proper care is taken they will become severe and ultimately die. In earlier years, unborn calves succumbed to brucellosis also known as Bang’s disease which has however been greatly controlled with vaccination and killer disease tuberculosis has also been effectively checked. Before advancement of veterinary science, diseases like blackleg and anthrax caused by bacteria and foot-and-mouth disease due to virus had claimed much of cattle’s lives. Parasites such as cattle ticks which annoy and disturb cattle also carry dangerous diseases such as tick fever have been kept under control.
Common diseases affecting pigs are cold and fever which if not attended in time may
become endemic and spread to humans. Once swine flu or swine fever occurs, people are
advised not to eat pork. Another prevalent disease common among pigs is due to worms remedy for which is de-worming medicine. Pigs are sensitive to cold temperatures and so are to be kept warm as soon as they are born. Sick pigs are to be quarantined and kept separate because diseases are contagious. Other types of cattle like sheep and goats also are not so susceptible to disease but nonetheless proper care must be taken. Sheep are raised either for wool or meat and goats are useful because of their meat and milk. Livestock rearing benefits a lot be of its wood, hide, meat, milk and dairy products which are essential for food supply. Besides, it provides the basis for many other industries like manufacturing of feed, woolen materials, livestock equipment, meat packing, processing dairy products, leather tanning, veterinary services, etc.
In his recent visit to Meghalaya, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying,
Parshottam Rupala has launched Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) at a function organized by
Animal Husbandry & Veterinary (AH & Vety). Department at Mahendraganj, South West Garo Hills district. Each van or mobile veterinary clinic has all necessary equipments required for treatment of animals and would have one doctor, a paramedical staff and a driver. With the help of these MVUs, officials of AH&Vety department will be able to perform vaccination, artificial insemination and all kinds of treatment for sick animals. One has to just dial 1962 and an MOVU will reach your doorstep. Rupala praised state officials for rendering valuable services at grassroots level. On second day of his visit Union Minister toured different Indo-Bangla border areas who said that border villages are being prioritized for development by the Prime minister himself.