CHAKWAL: Rizwan Abid, a dairy farmer, was visibly distressed as he struggled to lift his prized bull, which was suffering from foot-and-mouth disease. The disease, a highly contagious viral infection, has been spreading across Punjab for the past two months, causing significant losses to local farmers, just ahead of the Eidul Azha festival.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“I’ve lost a cow and four calves to this disease, and now my bull is fighting for his life,” said Mr. Abid. His farm, located on the outskirts of Chakwal, houses 13 animals, including cows and buffaloes. Mr. Abid noted that no government veterinarian had visited his farm for vaccination, despite the outbreak.
The Chakwal livestock department remains unaware of the full scale of the situation. “Only one case has been reported from Tamman village in Talagang, affecting 15 animals,” stated Additional Director Dr. Sohail Manzoor. However, investigations by Dawn revealed that nearly every village in the region is affected by FMD.
In Murid village, dairy farmer Jaffar Abbas lost two cows and four calves. “The financial loss is immense; two of my cows were valued at Rs 1 million,” Abbas shared. His neighbor, Ahmed Khan, was also struggling to treat his cow, which had developed blisters on its tongue and was refusing to eat or drink.
Despite the proximity to the livestock department’s office, the cattle pen of Qazi Farooq has seen seven animals succumb to the disease. Additionally, eight of the 24 animals owned by Ashir Ali have fallen ill due to FMD.
In Dhakku village, Aftab Ahmed’s herd of goats and sheep has been significantly impacted by the disease, while his five cows are still recovering. In Dhudial, dairy farmer Syed Asad Abbas lost a heifer, and Mohammad Arif in Murid village lost three calves.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
This disease is causing severe financial hardship in the cattle farming community. Farmers are urged to report any cases of FMD and take all necessary precautions to prevent further outbreaks.
Last week, Mehran Aziz took his sacrificial bull to the market, expecting a price of Rs 350,000, but had to bring it back when it failed to fetch the desired price. A few days later, the bull contracted FMD.
Meanwhile, cows that survived the disease are still facing the aftermath. “One cow, which was producing 20 liters of milk daily, is now only producing 3 to 4 liters. There is also concern that pregnant cows may abort, while lactating cows may fail to return to their estrus cycle,” a veterinarian explained.
Former livestock deputy director Dr. Muhammad Riaz reported attending over 150 FMD cases in the last month. He stated, “The disease remains a severe issue in many villages, and the mortality rate has been higher this year than ever before.” He called for a more robust vaccination strategy and emphasized the need for a separate task force to carry out vaccinations.
Dr. Riaz explained that the current vaccination campaign is being carried out by veterinarians who are also treating infected animals. He added that the use of improper equipment, such as disposable syringes, may contribute to the spread of the disease.
In response to the crisis, Dr. Sohail Manzoor, additional director of LDD, promised to investigate the situation and take strict action against officials who fail to report FMD cases. He assured that vaccination efforts had been initiated in areas with a history of outbreaks.
Despite efforts from both federal and provincial governments, Pakistan continues to struggle with controlling FMD. According to a report by the Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development (LDD), FMD causes losses of $6-8 billion annually in the livestock sector. The disease also presents a major barrier to the export of Pakistani meat to international markets.
To combat FMD, the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Centre in Lahore produces 10 million doses of vaccine annually. However, demand far exceeds this supply, with more than 80 million doses needed to protect livestock across the province, according to the LDD.
Since 2017, Punjab has employed two vaccination strategies. While southern Punjab has received extensive vaccination efforts to become a disease-free zone, FMD outbreaks have persisted, and the current outbreak began in southern districts.