Animal Health & Disease Management

General Agriculture for Competitive Exams for TGT, PGT, TA, STA, IBPS AFO, etc.

Animal Health & Disease Management

Definition of Health

Health: A state in which all organs and tissues function normally and harmoniously.
Disease: Any deviation from this normal state.
Importance: Good health ensures optimal production and reduces financial loss.

Classification of Diseases

Type	Examples
Bacterial	Anthrax, Black Quarter (BQ), Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS), Tuberculosis
Viral	Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Rinderpest
Mycotic	Aflatoxicosis
Parasitic	Ecto: Tick, lice, mite Endo: Tapeworm, Roundworm
Metabolic	Milk Fever (Hypocalcemia), Ketosis (Hypoglycemia)
Dietary	Bloat (Tympany), Impaction, Non-specific enteritis

Major Infectious Diseases

Cause: Apthovirus, Family: Picornaviridae (7 serotypes: O, A, C, Asia I, SAT 1-3)
Transmission: Direct contact, water, manure, pasture, attendants
Symptoms:
- Incubation: 2–5 days
- Fever (40°C), drooling, vesicles on tongue, gums, interdigital spaces, udder
- Lameness, reduced appetite & milk yield

Cause: Morbillivirus, Family: Paramyxoviridae
Symptoms: Fever, eye/nose discharge, mouth ulcers, diarrhoea, dehydration, death in 10 days
Prevention: Vaccination (TCRV/GTV), disinfection, isolation.

Cause: Pasteurella multocida
Forms: Acute (septicemia), Subacute (swelling), Chronic (lung issues)
Symptoms: Fever (106°F), nasal discharge, throat swelling, laboured breathing
Prevention: Annual vaccination before rainy season
Treatment: Sulphadimidine

Common Non-Infectious Diseases

Cause: Frothy: Legume overfeeding. Free gas: Obstruction (e.g., corn cob, beet)
Symptoms: Left side distension, discomfort, salivation, collapse.

Definition: Diseases and infections that are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans.

Types of Zoonoses (Classification):

Type	Description	Example
Direct Zoonoses	Direct transmission from animals to humans	Rabies, Anthrax
Cyclo-zoonoses	Require more than one vertebrate host but no invertebrate host	Taeniasis
Meta-zoonoses	Transmission via invertebrate vector	Japanese Encephalitis
Sapro-zoonoses	Spread through environment (soil, water)	Histoplasmosis
Anthropo-zoonoses	Shared but primarily animal-to-human transmission	Brucellosis

Key Zoonotic Diseases: Causes, Transmission, Symptoms, Control

Disease	Causative Agent	Animal Hosts	Mode of Transmission	Human Symptoms	Zoonosis Type
Brucellosis	Brucella spp. (abortus, melitensis, suis, canis)	Cattle, sheep, goat, pig, dog	Inhalation, ingestion (raw milk), contact	Irregular fever, sweating, fatigue, joint pain, insomnia	Anthropo-zoonosis
Anthrax	Bacillus anthracis	Cattle, sheep, goats, wild herbivores	Contact, inhalation (wool), ingestion (meat)	Cutaneous: black eschar Pulmonary: wool-sorter’s disease GIT: bloody stool, death	Direct zoonosis
Tuberculosis	Mycobacterium bovis	Cattle	Contact, inhalation, raw milk	Pulmonary or extrapulmonary TB (lymph nodes, bones, meninges)	Direct zoonosis
Rabies	Rabies virus	Dogs, bats, foxes, etc.	Bite or scratch from infected animal	Fever, headache, hydrophobia, paralysis, death	Direct zoonosis
Leptospirosis	Leptospira interrogans	Rodents, cattle, wild animals	Contact with contaminated water/soil	Fever, jaundice (Weil’s disease), vomiting, conjunctivitis	Direct zoonosis

Prevention and Control of Zoonotic Diseases

Strategy	Description
Vaccination	Regular vaccination of animals (e.g., rabies, anthrax, HS vaccines)
Pasteurization	Boiling/pasteurizing milk to avoid brucellosis, TB
Avoid Raw Animal Products	No raw meat or unboiled milk
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)	Gloves, masks for farmers, vets, butchers
Hygienic Practices	Disinfection of animal sheds, safe disposal of carcasses
Quarantine & Monitoring	Isolating infected/suspected animals
Rodent Control	To prevent leptospirosis and other rodent-borne infections
Public Awareness	Education campaigns about risk and prevention
Proper Waste Management	Avoid exposure to infected waste, manure, fluids

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