The 8th round of Foot and Mouth disease vaccination drive would be held in Virudhunagar district from December 29 to January 18.
In a statement District Collector N.O. Sughaputra said that the 21-day drive would be taken up by the Department of Animal Husbandry to protect cows and buffaloes.
He added that the FMD primarily affected hybrid cattle and cause economic and production loss to farmers.
Around 1.45 lakh cows and buffaloes in the district will be vaccinated under the National Animal Disease Control Programme.
Despite low mortality, the FMD, caused by a viral infection causes severe economic loss to the farmers. It infects the cows and buffaloes, and thus reduces milk yield, work efficiency in bulls, and cause infertility in milch animals. The infection could lead to death of young calves. The disease spread fast through infected animals during winter season and also due to unhygienic practices, lack of vaccination, and failure to isolate sick animals.
The disease could also spread through fodder, water, and human beings. The virus can survive in cattle sheds for up to 15 days and spread through air and urine, milk, saliva, and dung from infected animals, the statement said.
The symptoms of infection in cattle are fever, loss of appetite and execessive thirst. Besides, dripping of saliva, blisters in mouth, tongue, hooves and udder. The disease could also cause abortion among pregnant cows.
The statement said that 58 teams consisting of veterinary doctors, inspectors, and assistants from 82 veterinary dispensaries and six hospitals will take up the vaccination drive free of cost.
Vaccination could be done once in six months could be given to calves four years given to calves aged above four months and cows that are not in advanced state of pregnancy.
Farmers would be alerted in advance about the vaccination schedule in their villages.
Published – December 25, 2025 08:40 pm IST
