NRCE in collaboration with IVRI makes Lumpi-ProVacInd vaccine to protect livestock from lumpy skin disease
The National Research Centre on Equine (NRCE), Hisar (Haryana), in collaboration with the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izzatnagar (Bareilly), has developed Lumpi-ProVacInd vaccine to protect livestock from the fast-spreading lumpy skin disease.
The National Research Centre on Equine (NRCE) , Hisar (Haryana) in collaboration with the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izzatnagar (Bareilly) has developed Lumpi-ProVacInd vaccine to protect livestock from the fast-spreading lumpy skin disease. Launching the indigenous vaccine on August 10, the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, said that the vaccine was a milestone for eradicating the lumpy disease. He said that livestock, along with human resources, was the biggest asset of our country, which we had a big responsibility to preserve and prosper.
Tomar said that yet another new dimension had been set by developing this vaccine under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). He congratulated the scientists of the NRCE and the IVRI for developing the lumpy disease vaccine. Ever since the disease came to India in 2019, research institutes have been engaged in developing the vaccine. The Minister expressed happiness that scientists accepted this as a challenge and, undertaking limited trials in a short period, had developed a vaccine 100 per cent effective, complying with all standards, which would be effective in getting rid of the lumpy disease.
Tomar directed the concerned officials to provide this vaccine in large numbers at the earliest for relief to the cattle. He said that there were 30 crore livestock in the country. Considering the plight of mute animals, all possible measures should be taken to provide them relief at the earliest. What is special about the vaccine is that a single dose of it would cost Rs 1-2. Thus, it will be very economical for dairy farmers.
The lumpy cow disease virus has rapidly been infecting the cattle across several states in the country. This has added to the worries of the cattle farmers as well as the government. Cows have been killed by the disease in large numbers in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Lumpy skin disease is a viral infection that causes lumps on the bodies of cattle. There is no definite cure for this disease so far. Experts say only vaccines can stop this disease.
Parshottam Rupala, the Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying; Kailash Choudhary, the Minister of State for Agriculture; Jatindra Nath Swain, Secretary, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying; Dr Himanshu Pathak, DG, ICAR; Dr B. N. Tripathi, DDG, ICAR; Dr Triveni Dutt, Director, IVRI; Dr Yashpal, Director, NERC; and other senior officers were present on the occasion.
