JAMMU, Jul 2: The Animal Husbandry Department on Thursday launched the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Vaccination Drive across Jammu province to safeguard livestock and minimise economic losses suffered by farmers due to the highly contagious disease.
The campaign was formally inaugurated by Sanjay Gupta at the office complex of the Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Jammu. The event was attended by Chief Animal Husbandry Officer Jammu Dr. Zahid Saleem Patigaroo, PDO Jammu Dr. Suresh Thappa, LDO Jammu Dr. Zaffar Iqbal, LDO Akhnoor Dr. Vinay Vishal, and Veterinary Assistant Surgeons from across Jammu district.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Sanjay Gupta highlighted the importance of vaccinating large ruminants against Foot and Mouth Disease, stressing that the disease has a significant economic impact on livestock farmers by affecting animal health and productivity. He urged livestock owners to ensure timely vaccination of their animals to prevent the spread of the disease.
The Director also emphasised the importance of Aadhaar seeding of livestock farmers and registration of animals on the Bharat Pashudhan Portal, stating that digital registration would help improve livestock management and facilitate the effective implementation of government welfare programmes.
Appealing to farmers to actively participate in the vaccination campaign, Dr. Gupta informed that the Animal Husbandry Department would provide free door-to-door FMD vaccination services on a mission mode across the province. He assured that the department is committed to ensuring maximum coverage of livestock through the campaign to strengthen animal health and protect the livelihoods of farmers.
The department urged all livestock owners to cooperate with field veterinary teams and take advantage of the free vaccination programme for the prevention and control of Foot and Mouth Disease.