DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS AND POULTRY

DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS AND POULTRY
BACTERIAL DISEASES The main diseases caused by bacteria are as follows.
Anthrax (splenic fever) affects cattle, causing swelling on the body and neck. It reduces milk secretion. Sick animals should be isolated and others should be vaccinated. Bodies of diseased animals should be burnt.
Tuberculosis of cattle is transmitted to man also, through milk. The bacteria affects many parts of the body but mainly the lungs. Treatment is by suitable antibiotics and vaccination.
Mastitis is indicated by swollen udders and watery milk with clots. Different types of antibiotics are adminis­tered as a cure.
Brucellosis affects cattle, sheep, pig, goat and even humans. It affects the reproductory organs, and causes abortions. Cows should be vaccinated against the disease.
Salmonellosis affects cattle, causes high temperature and diarrhoea with blood clots in it. It is spread by polluted river water. Vaccines are useful.
VIRAL DISEASES Major diseases caw~ed by viruses are:

Blue tongue, an anthropod-borne disease of sheep, goat, cattle and wild ruminants, characterised by high temperature, and cyanotic (blue) appearance and swelling of mucosa of mouth and tongue.

Rinderpest or cattle plague spreads through air or contaminated utensils. The affected animals are cattle, sheep, goats. It causes congested conjunctiva, lachrymation and dryness of the muzzle. There is arching of back with loss of appetite. Lesions appear on the buccal mucosa, lips and gums on the seventh to ninth day. The disease is fatal if unattended. The diseased animals should be inoculated with rinderpest antiserum.

Foot and mouth disease affects cattle, buffaloes, swine, sheep, goats and is characterised by eruptions in the mouth and on the feet. Suffering animals show loss in their

functional efficiency and breeding capacity. The disease spreads through direct contact, water, manure, hay and pasture. Vaccine is available against it.

FUNGAL DISEASES The main disease spread by fungus is ringworm. It affects cattle, sheep, goats. The body has scruffy scabs all over, especially on neck and head. Fun­gicides should be applied on the scabs.

PROTOZOAN DISEASES Trypanosomiasis affects horses, camels, dogs and cattle. It is transmitted to other animals by blood sucking flies. Affected animals develop anaemia and die after developing high fever. Suffering animals can be treated with Suramin, Antrypol and Antrycide.

Coccidiosis affects cattle and causes blood diarrhoea; Babesiosis causes fever and diarrhoea and anaemia in cattle; Trichomaniasis affects cattle, sheep and pigs and causes abortions and sterility.

WORMS Flukes, tapeworm, roundworm, and spinyheaded worms are parasites that cause diseases in cattle, sheep, goats.

RANIKHET is a viral disease affecting chickens and the affected birds die due to loss of appetite and suffocation and finally paralysis. The birds should be vaccinated as soon as they are six weeks old to protect them.

FOWL Pox is a contagious disease, common in summer months. Wart-like nodules appear on the comb and the wattle and blisters, on the skin. Eyes and nose are covered by a yellow discharge. All young chicks above four weeks should be vaccinated.

FOWL TYPHOID AND PARATYPHOID They are bacte­rial diseases; infection mainly spreads through infected eggs, and droppings and carrier bids. Causes septicaemia.

TICK FEVER The birds show loss of appetite, increased thirst, and crouching appearance. Body temperature fluc­tuates. Comb and wattle become pale. There is discharge bf loose greenish droppings. Death is due to paralysis of legs and wings, and convulsions.