FMD is the most economically damaging livestock disease in India, causing acute milk drop, weight loss and significant morbidity in cattle and buffalo. It is caused by a virus with seven serotypes; India primarily deals with O, A and Asia-1. Symptoms: high fever (40–41°C), profuse salivation, blisters and erosions in the mouth and on feet, sudden severe milk drop, lameness. It is non-fatal in adults but extremely contagious and highly disruptive to trade and milk production. Prevention: Vaccinate every 6 months with the polyvalent FMD vaccine. The government runs the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) which provides free FMD vaccination. Newly purchased animals should be vaccinated and isolated for 14 days before mixing with the herd. Report outbreaks to the local veterinary officer immediately, as FMD is a notifiable disease. Treatment: No specific antiviral treatment; supportive care (antiseptic mouth wash, hoof bathing, anti-inflammatory), nursing care and separate housing.

Haemorrhagic Septicaemia is a highly fatal bacterial disease (Pasteurella multocida) of cattle and buffaloes, particularly in the monsoon season when animals are stressed by wet conditions and floods. It kills within 24–72 hours of symptom onset if untreated. Symptoms: sudden high fever (41°C+), swelling of the throat and brisket (bottle jaw), difficulty breathing, tongue protrusion, profuse nasal discharge, weakness leading to recumbency and death. Mortality in untreated animals is close to 80 percent. Prevention: Vaccinate before monsoon (April–May) with HS vaccine; most state animal husbandry departments provide free HS vaccination camps. Treatment: Early high-dose antibiotic therapy (oxytetracycline, penicillin-streptomycin) can save animals if begun in the first few hours. Call a veterinarian immediately — this is a genuine emergency with hours to act.

Black Quarter is a rapidly fatal clostridial disease (Clostridium chauvoei) of cattle and buffalo under four years of age, occurring after heavy rain or flooding that disturbs soil where spores persist. Symptoms: sudden lameness, hot painful swelling of the hindquarters or shoulder, crackling sensation under the skin (gas gangrene), fever, depression, the animal going down and dying within 12–36 hours. Prevention: Vaccinate with HS-BQ combined vaccine annually, especially before monsoon. The NADCP program often includes BQ vaccination in national campaigns. Treatment: Emergency veterinary treatment with high-dose penicillin in the early stage. Once the animal is recumbent, prognosis is poor. Early vaccination is by far the most effective strategy.

PPR is the most devastating viral disease of goats and sheep, capable of killing 30–90 percent of unvaccinated animals in an affected flock within days. It is caused by a morbillivirus related to rinderpest. Symptoms: fever (40–41°C), eye and nasal discharge (starts watery, becomes thick and purulent), mouth ulcers and erosions, foul-smelling diarrhoea, respiratory distress, abortion in pregnant animals. Animals die from dehydration, pneumonia and secondary infections within 5–10 days. Prevention: A single dose of PPR vaccine provides immunity for 3 years. The government runs a National PPR Control Programme with free or subsidised vaccination. Vaccinate all goats and sheep before the breeding season and all new animals before introducing them to the flock. Treatment: No specific antiviral treatment; supportive care, antibiotics for secondary infections and electrolyte therapy can reduce mortality in valuable animals.

Mastitis is inflammation of the udder, almost always caused by bacterial infection (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, E. coli). It is the most economically costly disease in dairy farming, reducing milk yield by 15–40 percent in affected quarters and permanently damaging udder tissue in chronic cases. Clinical mastitis is visible: hot, swollen, painful udder, abnormal milk (clots, watery, blood-tinged), fever, off-feed. Sub-clinical mastitis shows no obvious signs but reduces yield and milk quality — detected by the California Mastitis Test (CMT). Prevention: Maintain strict milking hygiene — clean udder before milking, use clean equipment, apply teat dip after milking, dry off correctly with appropriate dry-cow therapy. Avoid overcrowding and wet bedding. Early detection through daily udder checks and occasional CMT. Treatment: Mild to moderate cases respond to intramammary antibiotic infusion; severe cases need systemic antibiotics and anti-inflammatories prescribed by a vet. Do not discard milk during treatment withdrawal period.

Bloat is acute accumulation of gas in the rumen, causing rapid distension of the left flank. It is most common when animals are turned onto lush legume pastures (berseem, lucerne), wet young grass or grain-heavy rations after a period of dry feed. If untreated, death from respiratory and circulatory failure can occur within 1–2 hours. Symptoms: sudden distension of the left abdomen (which sounds hollow when tapped), discomfort, inability to eat or belch, rapid breathing, animal straining to defecate. Free-gas bloat occurs with physical blockage; frothy bloat occurs with excessive fermentation of legumes. Prevention: Avoid sudden introduction to lush pastures; allow animals to fill on dry fodder before grazing; feed anti-bloat agents (poloxalene) when moving to legume pastures. Treatment: Mild cases — walk the animal, massage the rumen flank, drench with 500 ml cooking oil or bloat remedy. Severe frothy bloat — use a stomach tube to release gas or a trocar as emergency measure. Call a vet immediately if the animal is in severe distress.