Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP)
पशुधन स्वास्थ्य एवं रोग नियंत्रण कार्यक्रम (एलएचडीसीपी)
A Centrally Sponsored Scheme for free FMD and Brucellosis vaccination of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig, ear-tagging on the Bharat Pashudhan portal, mobile veterinary units on 1962, and low-cost generic animal medicines through Pashu Aushadhi.
- Outlay (revised)
- ₹3,880 crore for 2024-25 & 2025-26
- What it covers
- Free FMD & Brucellosis vaccination
- Animals covered
- Cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, pig
- FMD vaccine doses so far
- 147+ crore (~8 crore families)
- Animals ear-tagged
- 39+ crore on Bharat Pashudhan, 12-digit ID
- Components
- NADCP + LH&DC + Pashu Aushadhi
- Doorstep veterinary care
- Mobile Veterinary Units on 1962 (toll-free)
- FMD outbreaks
- Down from 132 (2019) to 40 (2025)
Quick Summary
The key points from this page in about two minutes — read it or have it read aloud.
Quick Summary
The Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme is the Centre's single scheme for keeping farm animals free of the diseases that quietly cost a pashupalak the most — Foot and Mouth Disease and Brucellosis above all. Its best-known part, the National Animal Disease Control Programme, runs free door-to-door vaccination rounds: every cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig against FMD, and every female bovine calf aged 4 to 8 months against Brucellosis. Each animal is ear-tagged with a 12-digit ID and entered on the Bharat Pashudhan portal so its vaccination history follows it for life. Two more parts sit alongside — Livestock Health & Disease Control, which funds state veterinary hospitals, mobile veterinary units reachable on the 1962 toll-free number, and control of diseases like PPR in sheep and goats and Classical Swine Fever in pigs; and Pashu Aushadhi, a newer component putting low-cost generic veterinary medicines on the shelf at PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras and cooperatives.
A farmer does not apply for LHDCP. When the vaccination team reaches your village, present your animals; between rounds, take a sick animal to the nearest government veterinary hospital or dispensary, or call 1962 for a mobile unit. The vaccine, the ear tag and the health camp cost nothing. The scheme was revised by the Union Cabinet in March 2025 with a ₹3,880 crore outlay for 2024-25 and 2025-26, and continues into 2026-27. Since 2019 it has delivered over 147 crore FMD vaccine doses and helped push annual FMD outbreaks down from 132 to 40. The page ahead has the component-wise detail, the funding split and the helpline numbers.
Overview
The Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying that brings the Centre's animal-disease work under one umbrella. It has three components. The National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), launched by the Prime Minister in September 2019, targets 100% vaccination of the cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig population against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and 100% vaccination of female bovine calves aged 4-8 months against Brucellosis, with the goal of controlling FMD and moving towards eradication by 2030.
The second component, Livestock Health & Disease Control (LH&DC), funds the states: Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD) for other scheduled, zoonotic and emergent diseases; a Critical Animal Disease Control Programme covering Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in sheep and goats and Classical Swine Fever (CSF) in pigs; and the establishment and strengthening of veterinary hospitals, dispensaries and Mobile Veterinary Units that deliver treatment at the farmer's doorstep, reachable on the 1962 toll-free number. The third component, Pashu Aushadhi, added in the 2025 revision with a ₹75 crore provision, makes quality generic and ethno-veterinary medicines available at PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras and through cooperatives.
The Union Cabinet approved the revised LHDCP on 5 March 2025 with an outlay of ₹3,880 crore for 2024-25 and 2025-26; the 2026-27 budget provision is around ₹2,010 crore. Vaccination, ear-tagging and animal health camps are free to the farmer — NADCP vaccine and cold-chain costs are borne fully by the Centre, while operational and other components follow the standard 60:40 Centre-State share (90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan states, 100% for Union Territories). By 2026, over 147 crore FMD vaccine doses had been administered, benefiting roughly 8 crore livestock-keeping families, and more than 39 crore animals had been registered with a unique 12-digit ear-tag ID on the Bharat Pashudhan portal.
Scheme highlights
Free vaccination, brought to your village
Under NADCP, vaccination teams reach the village on a fixed round — every cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig is vaccinated against FMD, and every female bovine calf aged 4-8 months against Brucellosis, at no cost to the owner.
A 12-digit ear tag that stays with the animal
Each vaccinated animal is ear-tagged and entered on the Bharat Pashudhan portal, so its vaccination and treatment history is on record for life — useful when selling the animal or claiming insurance.
A vet at the doorstep on 1962
Mobile Veterinary Units funded under the scheme respond to the 1962 toll-free helpline, bringing treatment, minor surgery and advice to the farm instead of the farmer transporting a sick animal.
Cover for the diseases that wipe out flocks
Beyond FMD and Brucellosis, the scheme funds control of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in sheep and goats and Classical Swine Fever (CSF) in pigs — the outbreaks that can empty a small holder's pen in weeks.
Pashu Aushadhi: cheaper medicine on the shelf
The 2025 revision added a ₹75 crore Pashu Aushadhi component to stock quality generic and ethno-veterinary medicines at PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras and cooperatives, cutting the price a farmer pays for routine animal treatment.
Measurable fall in outbreaks
Annual FMD outbreaks fell from 132 in 2019 to 40 in 2025 and Brucellosis outbreaks from 22 to 15 over the same period, alongside more than 147 crore FMD vaccine doses administered.
Major components
States pick from these based on local priorities — each has its own eligibility and application process, detailed on its own page where one exists.
National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP)
Free, systematic FMD vaccination of all cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig, plus Brucellosis vaccination of female bovine calves 4-8 months old, with ear-tagging and entry on Bharat Pashudhan. Vaccine and cold-chain cost is 100% Central.
Every livestock and dairy farmer whose animals are due for vaccination
Livestock Health & Disease Control (LH&DC)
Funds states for ASCAD (scheduled and zoonotic diseases), the Critical Animal Disease Control Programme (PPR in sheep/goats, CSF in pigs), and veterinary hospitals, dispensaries and Mobile Veterinary Units for doorstep treatment.
Sheep, goat and pig keepers, and any farmer needing a government vet
Pashu Aushadhi
A ₹75 crore component making quality generic and ethno-veterinary medicines available at affordable prices through PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras and cooperative outlets.
Any animal owner buying routine veterinary medicine
What you get
No cost to the farmer
FMD and Brucellosis vaccine, the ear tag, the vaccinator's visit and the animal health camp are all free — the farmer only has to present the animals when the team arrives.
Fewer losses, better prices
A vaccinated, disease-free herd means fewer sudden deaths, higher milk yield, and — as India moves towards FMD-free zones — a stronger claim to sell milk, meat and animals at a better price.
A verifiable animal record
The Bharat Pashudhan ear-tag record is proof of an animal's vaccination and health history, which helps at sale, for livestock insurance claims, and for any other DAHD scheme benefit.
Treatment without moving a sick animal
A call to 1962 brings a Mobile Veterinary Unit to the farm, so an ill or injured animal is treated on the spot rather than being carried, sometimes for hours, to a town dispensary.
Who is eligible
Both lists come from the notified operational guidelines — meeting the left column is not enough if anything in the right column applies to your family.
You qualify if
- You own cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat or pig anywhere in India — no landholding, income or category condition applies to vaccination
- You keep female bovine (cow or buffalo) calves aged 4 to 8 months — they are due for the free Brucellosis vaccination
- You need treatment for a sick animal — any farmer can use a government veterinary hospital, dispensary or the 1962 Mobile Veterinary Unit
- You want lower-priced routine animal medicine — any owner can buy generic veterinary medicines under Pashu Aushadhi at a PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendra
Excluded — even with land
- Expecting a cash payment — LHDCP delivers vaccination, veterinary services and cheaper medicine, not an income transfer
- Expecting to apply online for the vaccine — vaccination happens through village rounds organised by the State Animal Husbandry Department, not individual booking
- Refusing ear-tagging — an animal that is not tagged and entered on Bharat Pashudhan cannot have its vaccination formally recorded
- Poultry and equines for the FMD/Brucellosis rounds — these target ruminants and pigs; poultry and other species are covered under separate disease programmes
Where this scheme applies
A central scheme with pan-India coverage — open to eligible farmers in every State and Union Territory.
Documents you need
Have these ready before you start — the online form takes ten minutes when nothing is missing.
Owner ID (Aadhaar)
Used to link the animal's ear-tag record to the owner on the Bharat Pashudhan portal at the time of vaccination.
The animals themselves
Present all eligible animals to the vaccination team — each is ear-tagged, vaccinated and photographed/entered on the spot; no prior paperwork is needed from the farmer.
Existing ear-tag number (if already tagged)
If an animal was tagged in an earlier round, share the 12-digit number so the new vaccination is added to the same record instead of a duplicate.
How to apply, step by step
The same six steps apply whether you register yourself online or sit down at a CSC.
- 1
State plans the vaccination round
The State Animal Husbandry Department schedules NADCP rounds district by district and deploys vaccinator teams with vaccine, cold boxes and ear tags.
- 2
The team reaches your village
Dates are announced locally through the panchayat, the veterinary dispensary and field staff. Bring your animals to the announced point or keep them ready at the shed.
- 3
Each animal is tagged and vaccinated
The animal gets a 12-digit ear tag, the FMD (and, for eligible calves, Brucellosis) vaccine, and an entry on Bharat Pashudhan linked to you as owner — all free.
- 4
Between rounds, use the vet services
For a sick animal, go to the nearest government veterinary hospital or dispensary, or call 1962 for a Mobile Veterinary Unit. Buy routine medicine cheaper under Pashu Aushadhi.
- 5
Keep the tag intact
The ear tag is the animal's permanent health ID. If it is lost, report it at the veterinary dispensary so a replacement is issued against the same record.
Important dates
NADCP launched
September 2019
By the Prime Minister, with an original outlay of ₹13,343 crore for 2019-20 to 2023-24
Pashu Aushadhi component added
March 2025
₹75 crore provision for generic and ethno-veterinary medicines
Revised LHDCP approved
5 March 2025
Union Cabinet approval, outlay ₹3,880 crore for 2024-25 and 2025-26
FMD control / eradication target
2030
Control of FMD and Brucellosis, moving towards eradication
Facts last checked
6 September 2026
Against dahd.gov.in scheme pages, the LHDCP Operational Guidelines (May 2025), the PMO release on the 5 March 2025 Cabinet decision, and DAHD data on FMD vaccine doses and Bharat Pashudhan registrations reported up to July 2026
Check your eligibility
Straight from the notified criteria. Nothing you enter leaves your phone.
0 of 3 answered
This checker applies the criteria in the official operational guidelines, but it is guidance — only the state government’s verification against the land records is final.
Downloads
Official documents only — everything below is hosted on the government's own servers.
Official links & helpline
Bookmark the portal itself — no third-party site can release, block or speed up a payment.
- Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying — LHDCPdahd.gov.in — the scheme page with component detail, guidelines and progress data
- Bharat Pashudhan portalbharatpashudhan.gov.in — the national animal registry holding every ear-tag ID and its vaccination and treatment history
- Mobile Veterinary Unit helplineToll-free 1962 — call for a Mobile Veterinary Unit to treat a sick animal at your farm
- National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP)dahd.gov.in — the FMD and Brucellosis vaccination programme within LHDCP
Helpline
24×7 IVRS and help desk, run by the ministry — the call is the fastest way to check a stuck payment.
Frequently asked questions
What does a farmer actually get under LHDCP?
Free vaccination of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig against Foot and Mouth Disease, free Brucellosis vaccination for female bovine calves aged 4-8 months, a free 12-digit ear tag, free animal health camps, doorstep treatment through Mobile Veterinary Units on 1962, and cheaper generic medicine under Pashu Aushadhi.
Is the scheme still running?
Yes. The Union Cabinet approved the revised LHDCP on 5 March 2025 with a ₹3,880 crore outlay for 2024-25 and 2025-26, and the programme continues into 2026-27. Vaccination rounds are ongoing nationwide.
How do I get my animals vaccinated?
You do not apply. The State Animal Husbandry Department runs vaccination rounds village by village; dates are announced through the panchayat and the local veterinary dispensary. Present your animals when the team arrives. If a round has been missed, ask your nearest government veterinary hospital.
Does the vaccine or the ear tag cost anything?
No. The FMD and Brucellosis vaccine, the ear tag, the vaccinator's visit and the health camp are all free. NADCP vaccine and cold-chain costs are fully borne by the Central Government.
What is the Bharat Pashudhan ear tag for?
It is a unique 12-digit ID fixed to the animal's ear and linked to you as owner on the Bharat Pashudhan portal. It records every vaccination and treatment for the life of the animal, which helps at sale and for livestock insurance claims.
My sheep and goats are at risk of PPR — is that covered?
Yes. The Livestock Health & Disease Control component funds a Critical Animal Disease Control Programme covering Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in sheep and goats and Classical Swine Fever (CSF) in pigs, in addition to FMD and Brucellosis.
What is Pashu Aushadhi?
A component added in the March 2025 revision, with a ₹75 crore provision, to stock quality generic and ethno-veterinary medicines at affordable prices through PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras and cooperatives — so routine animal medicine costs a farmer less.
How is LHDCP different from AHIDF, Rashtriya Gokul Mission and NLM?
AHIDF is a loan fund for dairy and meat infrastructure, Rashtriya Gokul Mission is about indigenous cattle breeding, and the National Livestock Mission covers small-ruminant, poultry and feed development. LHDCP is the only one that delivers free disease vaccination and veterinary treatment directly to the animal.
How many animals have been vaccinated so far?
By 2026, more than 147 crore FMD vaccine doses had been administered, benefiting roughly 8 crore livestock-keeping families, and over 39 crore animals had been ear-tagged on the Bharat Pashudhan portal.
What number do I call if an animal falls sick?
1962 — the toll-free helpline for a Mobile Veterinary Unit, which brings treatment to your farm. Between vaccination rounds you can also visit the nearest government veterinary hospital or dispensary.
Still have questions?
The FAQs above cover the common ones. For anything about your specific application, the ministry helpline 1962 is the authoritative answer — and we are happy to point you in the right direction.