Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)
The most economically damaging viral disease of Indian cattle and buffalo — rarely a killer of adults, but it empties the milk pail and keeps bullocks off work for weeks.
- Cause
- FMD virus (7 types)
- Spreads by
- Contact, fodder, wind
- Adult mortality
- Low; high in calves
- Control
- Vaccinate every 6 months
Overview
FMD is caused by a virus that infects all cloven-hoofed animals — cattle, buffalo, goats, sheep and pigs. It spreads extremely easily: by direct contact, on contaminated fodder, water, hands, footwear and vehicles, and even on the wind over short distances. One infected animal brought into a village can seed an outbreak that touches every susceptible herd.
The classic signs are high fever for a day or two, then blisters (vesicles) on the tongue, gums, dental pad and between the claws of the hooves. The blisters burst, leaving raw ulcers, so the animal drools ropey saliva, smacks its lips, goes off feed and turns suddenly lame, often lying down and reluctant to move. Milk yield falls sharply within days.
Adult death is uncommon, but young calves can die suddenly from a form that damages the heart. The lasting cost is in survivors: many cows never regain full milk yield, some become "panters" that cannot tolerate heat, and pregnant animals may abort. Control rests on twice-yearly vaccination and stopping animal and people movement the moment a case is suspected.
This is a general guide, not a substitute for a veterinarian. Always call a vet for diagnosis, dosage and treatment of a sick animal.
Signs to look for
- Sudden high fever (up to 41 °C), dullness and a sharp drop in feed intake and milk.
- Stringy, foamy saliva hanging from the mouth, with repeated lip-smacking and a chewing motion.
- Blisters then raw red ulcers on the tongue, gums, dental pad and inside the lips.
- Lameness in one or more legs; blisters and cracks in the skin between the two claws and at the coronet.
- Animals stand with feet bunched, shift weight from leg to leg, or lie down and refuse to rise.
- Sudden death of young calves without blisters — the heart-damage ("tiger heart") form.
How it spreads
- Direct contact between infected and healthy animals — the commonest route within a herd.
- Contaminated green fodder, dry fodder, water troughs and feeding utensils.
- On the hands, clothes and footwear of people, and on the wheels and floor of vehicles and carts.
- New animals bought from markets or brought in without a quarantine period.
- Saliva, dung, urine, milk and semen of infected animals; the virus survives well in cool, moist conditions.
Vaccination
- Use the polyvalent FMD vaccine supplied under the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) — it covers the virus types found in India.
- First dose to calves at 4 months of age, a booster 1 month later, then a dose every 6 months for life.
- Vaccinate the whole village on the same round — patchy cover lets the virus keep circulating.
- Time routine rounds ahead of the high-risk season (onset of winter and again before monsoon); keep the cold chain intact.
- Vaccinate pregnant animals — the vaccine is safe and protects the calf through colostrum.
Managing an outbreak
- Report a suspected case to the nearest veterinary dispensary the same day — FMD is a notifiable disease.
- Stop all movement of animals, fodder, dung and people in and out of the affected shed at once.
- Isolate sick animals; feed and handle them last, with separate utensils, and disinfect hands and footwear after.
- Wash mouth ulcers with a mild antiseptic or 1% potassium permanganate; wash feet and apply a fly-repellent antiseptic dressing.
- Offer soft, palatable feed — green grass, gruel, soaked bran — and clean water; tempt anorexic animals so they keep eating.
- Disinfect the shed, troughs and drains with washing soda (sodium carbonate) solution or 2% caustic soda; the virus dies quickly outside a narrow pH band.
Treatment and recovery
- There is no medicine that kills the virus — care is supportive while the animal fights it off over 2–3 weeks.
- A vet may give antibiotics to stop bacterial infection of the mouth and foot sores, plus anti-inflammatory and fluids for badly affected animals.
- Keep the animal on soft ground in the shade, away from stones and mud that worsen foot lesions.
- Do not put recovered animals straight back to heavy work or full ration — build them up slowly; some never return to full yield.
Animals affected
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Frequently asked questions
Can people catch foot-and-mouth disease from animals?
Human infection is extremely rare and, when it happens, very mild. FMD is not a public-health threat. It is, however, a serious livestock disease, and the milk and meat of sick animals should not be sold or consumed while they are ill.
Is the milk from an FMD-affected cow safe?
Do not use milk from a visibly sick animal — yield is low, the animal is stressed, and it may be on medication. Once the animal has fully recovered and any drug-withdrawal period is over, the milk is fine. Boil milk as normal in any case.
My animals are vaccinated. Why did they still get FMD?
Protection needs the full course — a calf dose, a booster, then a shot every 6 months. A single dose or a lapsed schedule leaves a gap. Immunity also drops if the cold chain broke or if only part of the village was covered, so the virus kept circulating. Keep to the 6-month round for the whole herd.
How long should I keep a recovered animal separate?
Keep recovered animals away from healthy stock for at least 4 weeks after the sores have healed — they can still shed virus. Cattle and especially buffalo can carry the virus in the throat for months, so movement out of an outbreak village should follow the vet department’s advice.
Signs, prevention and treatment follow ICAR, DAHD and state veterinary-university practice; vaccine schedules are the commonly notified ones and may vary by region or outbreak status. Always confirm with a veterinarian before treating an animal. editorial policy.