BLUE TONGUE DISEASE IN SHEEP & GOAT
By-Dr Parvinder Kaur Lubana, Livestock consultant,Punjab.
During rainy season, sheep farmers face economic loss due to sudden death of sheep by a new disease called as blue tongue disease.
Symptoms:
Ulcer in the mouth, oozing of fuzz like substance from the mouth and limping while walking and sometimes in the lying position.
If the animal is lifted the hairs in the body will fall off.
Animals will not take feed but drink little water.
In the severity of the disease the animal will die on 15th day or so.
Cause :
This disease is caused by a virus and mosquitoes or insects act as vectors.
Treatment
The animal has to administered orally the following recipe.
Banana fruits smeared with sesame oil and fed to animals for 2 to 3 times.
Half a litre of oil with 20 bananas are sufficient to treat 20 sheep.
By this animal will recover little. However, this will not control the disease fully.
Next the leaf pulp of Aloe vera (100 gm) has to be administered daily. Administering of Aloe vera has to be continued for more days till the animal fully recovers from this disease. Administering Aloe vera also increases the body weight of animals as it acts as dewormer against all intestinal parasites. This can also be administered as preventive treatment on monthly interval especially during rainy season.
Blue Tongue- A Disease of Concern in Small Ruminants
Blue Tongue- A disease of concern in small ruminants
