PPR also called Goat Plague (it is similar to cattle plague or Human Measles)
What is PPR:
Technically it is Acute (achanak se hone wala) Contagious (chune se failne wala) & Febrile (tez bukhar)disease of goat which can wipe out whole flock within 2 weeks. It is characterized by Stomatitis (muh main challey), Enteritis (aanto main zakhm) & Pneumonia.
Who is Responsible?
It is Virus, it means no drug can act against it you can perform supportive therapy only.(Bad news)
In which Animals it occur?
Sheep & Goats : Goats are more susceptible.
How it occur?
Through direct contact with diseased animals. It spread through infected animal’s discharges & secretions. Infected animal share same trough & drinkers with healthy animals.
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It clearly means that one should isolate the infected animals and better to sell them for slaughter but it is not a wise decision for those animals which have high genetic worth and you want keep them in elite breeding herd. Another moment when you want to keep animal;
When it is heavy weight buck & you are rearing it for festival season, like more than 60kg animal.
Now when u confirm that disease has been broken out in your farm than tight your belt and don’t waste time in blaming care takers and partners just do following things.
- Isolate the infected animals & confine them; separate everything feed fodder water(isolate means bilkul alag kar dena hai)
- Use disinfectant like KMnO4 (pinki) 3-4% solution or lysol 5-6% solution and wash each & every instrument (even a needle/ nail), cloth, troughs, drinkers, chappal jutey.. whatever present there.
- Start antibiotic treatment to the isolated animals with Strepto-penicillin @40000 units/kg body weight
- In the mean time confirm the diagnosis by using “IVRI made Monoclonal antibody based diagnostic kits for Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) virus infection” (this means you have to purchase this kit before the beginning of susceptible season i.e in March, because most of the outbreak occur between march & september)
- After that routinely wash the equipments with disinfectant solution 2 times a day (morning/evening)
- Use water sanitizer like SUPEROX
- SANITIZATION OF DRINKING WATER
| Use | Water Sanitizer |
| Dilution and Application | For general sanitization or prevention: Superox can be used as a Water Sanitizer @ 5- 10 ml per 100 liter of water. In acute cases: Use 15-20 ml. of Superox in 100 Ltr. of water. In severe cases Use 40- 50 ml. of Superox per 100 Ltr. of water can be used for 2 -3 days. |
- Don’t allow anybody to see the farm except doctor.
- If possible, empty the sheds and fumigate it with {formalin (250ml) + KMnO4 (125gm) – for 500 cu. ft volume; keep both the things in a bowl and cover the sheds from all sides and keep it as such for 12 hours at least}
- I again stress on the fact that disease spread by persons so those who take care of infected animals; does not allow them to come in contact with non infected animals.
- Persons should wash their clothes in 4% washing soda
- Give mouth wash with 1% KMnO4 or 2% boric acid
- Best disinfectant available in the market is CIDEX or SPOROCIDIN ( 2% glutraldehyde)
But why PPR is so fatal in goats ?
As you know there is always a villain in a good happy and successful story
This virus is the main villain of the goat farming business story
And this virus support other opportunistic bacteria and fungus to grow and aggravate the situation (put petrol in fire)
But there is 1 good news
this virus doesn’t change its face, so easy to recognize by immune system & because of this recovered animals developed very strong immunity and VACCINATION is very successful.
1 more thing this vaccine cost just Rs 1/- per animal/ 4 year
This vaccine is available in IVRI in 100 & 200 dose packs. So whenever you are going to start any farm or by some other person nearby your farm then go to IVRI and purchase the VACCINE (please maintain the cold chain; bring vaccine in ICE) & vaccinate each and every animal on very 1st day.
*Don’t keep the left vaccine for further use even discard it by burying in the soil at 4 feet
Some important points:
- Kids between 4-12 month of age are likely to suffer most ( so vaccinate at 3 month of age)
- Most outbreaks occurs in March to September
- Occurrence is increased after introduction of a new stock or when animals are returned unsold from livestock market
- Partially immune goats may act as reservoir
- PPR is endemic in India (occur anytime anywhere in India)
- Don’t waste the sacrifice of dead animal, ask a vet to do post mortem and try to find out the reaso
- Send 5ml blood in anticoagulant to lab ask for Sodium & potassium determination along with hematocrit and TLC &DLC. ( sodium & potassium markedly increase while chloride decreased)
Observations in diseased animal
- Erosions in mouth (whitish plaques)
- Mucous filed trachea and intestine
- Dark red or brown lungs
- Severe dehydration
- Zebra marking in intestine
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| Erosions in mouth (whitish plaques) | Mucous filed trachea and intestine |
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| Dark red or brown lungs | Zebra stripes | Occular Discharge |