Viral Diseases, Symptoms, Causes, Control

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Hi, welcome to this blog on the topic: Viral diseases in Farm animals.

Table Of Contents

  1. Viral diseases in farm animal
  2. Symptoms of viral diseases in animals
  3. Foot and mouth disease
  4. Animals affected
  5. Method of transmission
  6. Control methods
  7. Rinderpest disease or cattle plague
  8. Newcastle disease

Viral diseases includes foot and mouth disease, rinderpest diseases or cattle plague and Newcastle disease.

1. Food and Mouth Disease

  • Animals affected are cattle, sheep and goat.
  • Causal organism: It is caused by a virus.

Symptoms of Foot and Mouth Disease

  1. Formation of blisters on the mucous membrane of the mouth and the skin; between and around the hoofs.
  2. Inflammation of teats and udder.
  3. Salivation
  4. Lameness
  5. Loss of weight

Methods of Transmission

  • These are transmitted through infected materials like urine, faeces, milk.
  • Mechanical means by farmers

Control method of mouth and foot disease: This include isolation of infected animals and burning or burying of contaminated materials. They should also be giving regular vaccination.

2. Rinderpest Disease or Cattle Plague

  • Animals affected are cattle, sheep and goat.
  • Causal organism: It is caused by virus.

Symptoms of Rinderpest Disease

  1. High fever
  2. Weakness
  3. Difficult breathing
  4. Blood stained diarrhoea
  5. High mortality
  6. Loss of appetite and weight

Method of Transmission of Rinderpest

Rinderpest is a contagious disease and it is transmitted by:

  • Contacts
  • Contaminated feed and water
  • Contaminated faeces and urine

Control Methods of Rinderpest

Control methods can be done through:

  1. Regular vaccination
  2. Isolation of infected animals
  3. Restriction of infected animals movement within the farm.

3. Newcastle Disease

  • Animals affected are domestic fowl, Turkey, ducks, goose and guinea fowl.
  • Causal organism: Newcastle disease is caused by a virus.

Symptoms of Newcastle Viral Diseases

  1. Respiratory symptoms include sneezing, coughing, nasal discharge and difficult in Breathing.
  2. Nervous symptoms include paralysis, muscular tremor, somersaulting and cycling movements.
  3. Digestive symptoms include lack of appetite and diarrhoea.

Method of Transmission of Newcastle Disease: It can be transmitted through contaminated feed, water, breeds and litter.

Control of Newcastle Disease

  1. Vaccination
  2. Proper sanitation
  3. Disinfection of poultry buildings
  4. Burning and burying of infected birds.

Revision Questions

  1. What are the viral diseases?
  2. What are the symptoms of viral diseases?
  3. List two method of transmission of foot and mouth disease.
  4. What are the symptoms of Newcastle disease?
  5. List the symptoms of a rinderpest disease and control methods in animals.
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