Cattle markets open shop in Tirpur dist

Tirupur: With the lifting of ban by the district administration, all the nine cattle markets in the district started functioning since last week.
The district administration imposed the ban on cattle markets to curb the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

The ban, which was in effect for more than five weeks, was lifted on December 24.

As more than half of the district was drought-prone, farmers relied on cattle rearing for income. With more than 1,000 head of cattle being affected with FMD, it threatened to affect the livestock severely. Hence, the district administration imposed the ban on cattle markets, as advised by the state government, to curb the communicable disease.

“With significant rainfall, Noyyal and Amaravathi rivers, two prominent rivers in the district, received good water this year. It was easy for FMD viruses to spread through waterbody, so villages around those rivers were affected with the disease. Moreover, the disease could be more lethal every four years,” said an official associated with the animal husbandry department.

“Though the biennial vaccination process, under Foot-and-Mouth Disease Control Programme (FMD-CP), was carried out, it did not cover calves aged under three years. This also provided a chance for spreading of the disease,” the official said.

A senior department official said, “Despite all odds, the department could bring the disease under control, with continuous monitoring and field efforts. So, the ban on cattle markets was removed in Tirupur and other parts of the state.”

District president of Ulavar Ulaippalar Katchi R Eswaramoorthi said, “The disease has been controlled paving way for the farmers to bring their cattle to the weekly markets.”

Coordinator of Palayakottai Kangeyam breed cattle shandy V Sivakumar said, “Though the cattle markets were opened last week, only this week witnessed arrival of more number of cattle. Moreover, this FMD season could have reminded the farmers that how hybrid breeds like Jersey were affected severely with the disease while native breed cattle were affected lesser because of their better immunity.”

“So, the farmers should start preferring native breeds like Kangeyam. This week, many farmers evinced interest in buying Kangeyam cattle,” he added.