Around 24 cr cattle, buffaloes covered under FMD vaccination drive

The government on Friday said around 24 crore cattle and buffaloes have now been covered under Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination drive.

FMD is a major disease of livestock especially in cattle and buffaloes in India and causes huge economic loss to livestock owners due to a reduction in milk yield.

"During the second round of the Foot and Mouth Disease vaccination drive, around 24 crore cattle and buffaloes in the country have now been covered out of a targeted population of 25.8 crore cattle (as per data furnished by states); reaching a near universal coverage of over 95 per cent which is well beyond the herd immunity level," an official statement said.

The milestone has been achieved because of the relentless efforts of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), State/ UT Governments administration, and support of the livestock owners, it added.

The programme is 100 per cent funded by the Centre which is centrally procuring vaccines against FMD and supplying t