Experts call on veterinarians to act locally to allay disease spread; save animal, human health

SRINAGAR: A daylong seminar on “Advances in Small Ruminant Production And Disease Control Kashmir Perspective” was held at SKUAST Shuhama, wherein veterinary experts called upon the fraternity to act locally to control disease spread in small ruminants thus safeguarding economic losses of farmers and serving for a secure human health.
The daylong programme was jointly organised by Disease Investigation Laboratory (DIL) Nowshera Srinagar of Department of Sheep Husbandry along with Faculty Outreach Centre SKUAST Shuhama. The event was follow up of an 11 day programme on small ruminants orginised joined by Sheep Husbandry department and SKASST
At the outset the Dr M Maroof Shah, Deputy Director Research DIL Nowshera who was the Convener of the programme said that the programme is aimed to help sensitize the veterinary fraternity, on how working together by experts in the field could work wonders for better animal welfare in future.
He hailed SKUAST-K for their support to make the programme successful.
Dean of Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry SKUAST, M Ashraf Pal gave a detailed presentation about the strenuous efforts the faculty has been making in the field of animal breeding, fulfilling their nutritional needs and their disease control surveillance.
He even hailed the SHD for improving the small ruminant breeds across Kashmir and said that the faculty is fully equipped, labs conduct tests of various diseases found in animals and some effective remedies have been developed.
He said that venturing into sheep farming holds the potential not only to generate employment, but counter the urban migration of youth, however efforts are required by which these new entrants need to be saved from the losses due to diseases.
Later speakers from various leading veterinary institutes also gave detailed lectures about diseases that rob the poor farmers and now even the rich who have ventured into this sector across India.
Professor Puran Chand in his lecture deliberated on status of brucellosis and urged upon the veterinarians to remain ever vigilant about any abortions happening among the sheep and goat and focus on controlling the disease at their farm levels to stop its spreading to future generations.
He said that control procedures and other safeguards are lax and get rampantly bypassed giving this zoonotic disease a chance to progress and reach to humans with veterinarians being at the forefront of contracting this disease too.
Former Principal Scientist from, ICAR CIRG Makhdoom UP Prof ShoorVir Singh , cautioned that veterinarians must be vigilant about diseases and controlling them could safeguard our future generations.
In his talk on Para tuberculosis occurring in small ruminants Singh lamented the fact that at times those at the helm of affairs fail to understand the need to implement expert recommendations that hamper disease control measures in cattle.
He said that for veterinarians operating in the field to act swiftly at local levels helps a lot in disease control.
He added that detecting diseases at late progression is common as farmers miss out at signs of the disease and it is the veterinarians who should pick up these clinical signs and pursue the test that at times become significant for detecting key diseases including Para TB.
During his online talk on early warning on disease management in small ruminants, Dr KP Suresh from ICAR NIVEDI Bengaluru divulged in detail, on how effective data collection can withhold the key to disease control at the very inception.
He said that the effective tools are being devised to make farmers and veterinarians report disease outbreaks.
The experts during the seminar also recommended Dr Suresh for enhancing data collection and it’s sharing with the user agencies, researchers so that some of the prevalent diseases in small ruminants could be mitigated effectively.
Later Principal scientist from CIGR Makhdoom Dr SD Kharche talked about the prospects of artificial insemination and embryo transfer technology being helpful in small ruminants and it being effective in controlling transfer of various diseases. He added that technology will improve the breeding in small ruminants and researchers should focus on using it.
Others who spoke on the occasion included former Director Education SKUAST Dr Shakeel A Wani and District Sheep Husbandry officer Kulgam Dr Rafiq Ahmad who called upon forging better coordination among them for the effective control of diseases and preventing any new outbreaks.
Later, Associate Director Research Dr Azmat Alam presented the programme summary.
Organising secretary and Head of the FOC-SKUAST,Dr Abdul Hai , thanked the participants for making it to the event even during the pandemic times and making the whole event meaningful.
Scientists from SKUAST and vetenerains and researchers from DIL Nowshera, participated in the event who were also presented with certificates for participating in an earlier programme on small ruminants , at FOC, the recommendations from which will be sent to authorities on effective planning about the small ruminant sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
A progressive sheep breeder Hilal Ahamd Yatoo from Patan area was also felicitated on the occasion.
The programme proceedings were conducted by Dr Ajaz Ahamd Dar associate professor at Veterinary Medicine SKUAST,later a vote of thanks was presented by Feroze Ahmad Lone.

KR Desk