VBRI develops vaccine for white cattle

The Veterinary Biological and Research Institute (VBRI) at Samalkot in East Godavari has developed a unique vaccine to tackle the bacterial throat-swelling in white cattle.

The institute has already obtained the approval from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) at Izatnagar in Uttar Pradesh for the commercial production of the bacterial vaccine.

Speaking to Business Standard, M Satyanarayana, joint director of animal husbandry department, said that the vaccine had passed the quality tests of IVRI and got approval for the commercial production.

"The institute is now awaiting a drug licence under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the sanction of funds for starting the production," he said.

VBRI, which was set up to cater to the poultry industry needs of the nine coastal districts for the production of the poultry viral vaccine, has diversified to research pertaining to bacterial plague concerning the white cattle.

The Centre had sanctioned funds for producing biological vaccines like haemorrahagic septicemia (HS) for the poultry industry. The institute has approached Nabard to meet the funding requirement of the present project.

"The HS vaccine was produced by 'flask method' for treating throat swelling in buffaloes. However, given the demand for 50 lakh doses a year in the coastal districts, the institute is switching over to the more suitable 'fermentor technology' for stepping up the volume of production, Satyanarayana said.

Sources said that this technology would also enable the institute to now produce HS black quarter (BQ) vaccine, which is estimated to cost Rs 6.60 crore, for treating 'jebba vaapu' in white cattle.

Even as the district administration has called for contributions from the nine coastal districts from Srikakulam to Nellore, the institute is hoping to tap Nabard for a major part of funding for the project.

Satyanarayana said that the project will be a boon not just for Andhra Pradesh but for the entire country, wherever the bacterial disease cropped up. The institute will commence production of the vaccine once the funds are sanctioned to cater to the cattle farmers of the coastal districts.

The veterinary department in East Godavari district played a significant role in the livestock development in the state. It has 226 veterinary institutions in different categories taking care of the health of the livestock population besides 225 artificial insemination centres for livestock development.