FMD claims 2,800 cattle in Kerala; hit milk production

About 2,800 heads of cattle have died and more than 33,000 bovines have been affected with Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in Kerala, which spread across the state in the last couple of months.
The total milk production has also affected due to the disease, official sources said.
The most number of cases were reported in Thrissur district, followed by Palakkad and Kottayam respectively, it said.
The overall gravity of the disease has come down remarkably and was under control now, state Animal Husbandry Director NN Sasi said.
"The disease is under control now due to the quick action and effective precautionary measures. A total of Rs 50 lakh has been granted for the distribution of medicines and steriliser kits to the owners of affected cattle," he told PTI.

"As many as Rs 1.90 crore is allotted for providing compensation to those who lost their cattle due to the disease. The distribution of free feed for affected animals also began last week," he said.
Adequate amount of medicines had been stocked at veterinary hospitals and arrangements had been made at the panchayat level to inform about every new case of the disease, he said. Strict vigil had been initiated at the check posts also to stop the flow of the FMD affected animals from other states.
"Though FMD generally affects bovines, some elephants also found to have been affected with the disease in the state. Asiatic elephants are prone to the disease," Sasi said, adding, the department had already asked an expert panel of state Veterinary University to conduct a scientific study about the real causes of its spread in the state.