National Animal Disease Control Programme

National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) is a flagship scheme launched in September, 2019 for control of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis in the livestock.

NADCP for FMD and Brucellosis is a Central Sector Scheme where 100% of funds is provided by the Central Government to the States/UTs.

NADCP objective

The main objective of the NADCP is to control FMD by 2025 with vaccination and its eventual eradication by 2030. All States and Union Territories of the country are covered under the programme.

FMD and Brucellosis

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral vesicular disease of cloven hoofed animals such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and pigs etc. Clinical & visible signs include high fever (104-106 degree Celsius), loss of appetite and dullness, excessive salivation, vesicles in the mouth especially on the gums and tongue that result in ulcers, ulcers and wounds in the hoof in the inter-digital space, blisters on teats, etc. FMD leads to reduction in milk yield, decreased growth rate, infertility, reduced working capacity in bullocks, trade embargo in the international market.

FMD spreads through close contact with infected animal/s, contaminated feed and water, through animal movement and through aerosol and contaminated objects. There is no immediate treatment once the animal is infected. Infected animal has to be isolated and given symptomatic treatment and the animal shed cleaned with suitable disinfectant. Control of FMD can be achieved by mass vaccination of susceptible livestock repeatedly at regular intervals till the incidence of the disease comes down. This will pave way to gradual eradication of the disease from the country. 

Brucellosis is a reproductive disease of cattle and buffaloes caused by bacterium Brucella abortus. The disease is characterized by fever, induces abortion at the last stage of pregnancy, infertility, delayed heat, interrupted lactation resulting in loss of calves, loss in production of meat and milk. Brucellosis has an adverse impact on human health as it is zoonotic (transmissible to humans). It is also a serious occupational hazard. Affected humans may exhibit undulating fever, night sweats, body pains and aches, poor appetite, weight loss and weakness.

Bovine brucellosis is endemic in India and appears to be on the increase in recent times, perhaps due to increased trade and rapid movement of livestock. The nature of livestock rearing, especially in rural India, is conducive to spread of infection from livestock to humans due to close contact with animals. In the absence of any treatment for Brucellosis in bovine animals, the disease can be prevented by vaccination. Control of Brucellosis can be achieved by a once-in-a-lifetime vaccination of female bovine calves (4 – 8 months old).

Vaccination 

Control of FMD to be achieved by mass vaccination of all susceptible livestock repeatedly at regular intervals. The mission of the project is carrying out 100% vaccination of cloven-hoofed domestic animals viz., cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig. Primary vaccination of cattle and buffalo calves (4 to 5 months age) is also to be carried out. Vaccination shall be carried out biannually (six-monthly interval). The duration of each mass vaccination shall be a maximum of 30 days (extendable by 15 days only in unavoidable cases). It shall be preferable to complete vaccination in a single time-frame all over the country but the State/UT may provide their individual vaccination schedule at the beginning of each financial year till synchronized vaccination throughout the country is achieved. Deworming before vaccination help to get better immune response. Deworming shall be done twice a year, preferably to commensurate with the vaccination programme, but 3-4 weeks prior to it.  Vaccine to be used is Trivalent (O,A, Asia-1) BEI inactivated with minimum 3PD 50 per dose.

Control of Brucellosis through 100% vaccination coverage of bovine female calves of 4-8 months of age with once in a life-time calf-hood vaccination.