This study indicates that the ranking order of buffalo diseases, with respect to their incidence in descending order in Punjab province is Foot and Mouth Disease, Mastitis, Diarrhea, Haemorrhagic Septicemia, Sudden Death Syndrome and haemoglobinuria. Similarly the disease ranking order in cattle in descending order is FMD, Mastitis, Diarrhea, Hemorrhagic Septicemia, Haemoglobinuria and Sudden Death Syndrome. FMD is top most economic important disease both in buffaloes and in cattle in the province.
Morbidity rate in the adult cattle and buffalo was higher as compared to the younger stock. However, the mortality rate was higher in young stock as compared to the adult animals of both the species. Moreover, adult and young males of both the species were more susceptible to the disease as compared to females.
Cross-sectional survey revealed the economic loss of Rs. 41.32 million due to loss of milk, cost of dead animals and treatment cost of sick and complicated cases of FMD. The loss due to milk reduction was 57.3% of the total losses followed by mortality loss (26.4%), morbidity effect expenses (15.2%) and treatment charges in FMD complicated cases (1.0%). The findings of present study clearly indicate the association of age, feeding pattern, vaccination status and season as risk factors in the incidence of FMD in Punjab.
Data obtained from the EPI-Unit Lahore showed that 719 FMD outbreaks occurred in the district of Punjab during 2007-2008. The highest number of outbreaks (212) was recorded in Rahim-Yar-Khan followed by Bhakkar (118), T.T. Singh (81) and Faisalabad (72). Of the total 309 disease outbreaks in buffalo, 174 (56.3%) were recorded in adults, whereas this number in cattle was 169 (61%). The incidences of the outbreaks increased gradually following the post-monsoon period. The greatest number of outbreaks was observed during the winter season, from December to February. Data from FMD Research Center, Lahore revealed the involvement of only FMDV serotype "O" in all the outbreaks during 2007-2008.
Studies of the factors (age, feeding pattern, stage of pregnancy and species) on the immune response of local trivalent FMD vaccine revealed that buffaloes of all age groups responded well to vaccination against disease. It was also observed that 7-9 months pregnant buffaloes elicited significantly lower antibody response to vaccine as compared to the control groups. Similarly, buffaloes on grazing have shown lower anti-FMD-CF GM titer as compared to buffaloes on manger feeding. Sheep and goat were found to be late and poor responder to vaccine as compared to cattle and buffalo.
Analysis of 300 serum samples from FMD affected buffaloes of 12 districts of the Punjab indicated the highest incidence of serotype "O" (62.3%) followed by Asia-1 (32.4%) and "A" (3.30%) in the population tested.
FMD virus was inactivated at 61 ºC within 15 minutes and at pH 4, 8, and 10 within 24 hours. However, ultraviolet radiation was unable to inactivate the virus even after 45 minutes. The disinfectants/chemicals evaluated in this study including sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, citric acid, acetic acid, formalin, sodium hypochlorite, virkon-s, aldekol and Gas-G were effective in inactivating the FMDV at recommended concentration levels of 2%, 4%, 0.20%, 4%, 0.15%, 3.0%, 1.0%, 0.50% and 0.1% after 60, 30, 60, 60, 30, 30, 30, 60 and 30 minutes, respectively, at 300C. Sodium hypochlorite and Gas-G were equally good in inactivating the virus at half (1.5% and 0.05%) of the recommended concentration.
Efficacy trial of local and imported oil based trivalent FMD vaccine in six villages, of the Faisalabad district clearly showed that 81.8% of FMD cases were prevented by the local inactivated vaccine in vaccinated animals whereas; this percentage was 70.6 in case where imported vaccines were employed. Moreover, efficacy of the local vaccine was higher than the imported vaccines.