“Healthcare points in Livestock”

Happy animals are always healthy and it is well said that happy cows produce healthy milk. Productivity of the livestock mainly depends upon nutrition and health, which provides scope to express genetic potential. Healthcare issues are utmost important for every animal to maintain growth, production and reproduction. Proper managemental practices, seasonal appropriate changes, regular monitoring and preventive strategies keep animal healthy.

Animal owner is the first person to assess health of the animals regularly. Close circuit monitoring or 3 to 4 visits daily are necessary check normal routine of the animals on livestock’s farm. It is presumed that ‘80% resting animals and 80% of them should be ruminating on livestock’s farm at any given time throughout the day’ is good indicator of animal health.

Number of animal units per family is less in Indian context, which facilitates close monitoring of animal health. Large dairy herds monitor body weight of the animals, thrice daily after milking automatically on moving platforms and computer assisted system indicates the changes. At any point, reduction in the body weight is useful to assess immediate complete health of the animal.

Healthy animals are generally free from external parasites. They carry regularly skin luster, alert look, active behaviour, free movements, no bad habit, clean nostrills, equal balance on limbs, healthy hooves. Healthy animals are direct indicators of animal welfare compliance on livestock’s farm.

Livestock’s farm animals should be vaccinated as per standard schedule for prevention of contagious diseases. Minimum 10% random fodder, dung, urine, milk samples should be assessed at an interval of 3 months to evaluate health status of the entire farm. Deworming of animals should be carried out on diagnostic report basis and not as regular periodic routine.

Oestrus is good indicator of health in females. Animals exhibiting timely oestrus confirm total healty status of the body. Males performing optimum for natural service are considered healthy. Speedy growth rate is good indicator of health in growing stock. Senility is not related with ilhealth and hence animals can be maintained healthy.

Livestock’s Farm animals are expected to be fed scientifically as per ration balancing program. Empty manger are good indicators of health of the animals. Output of the animals, like cow or buffalo dung and urine, needs to be assessed grossly by the owner for physical properties and these are useful first indicators of health.

Veterinary clinican can evaluate health status of the animals through assessment of clinical parameters like body temperature, respiration rate, heart beats, visible mucus membrances and palpation of body parts. It is possible for vets to check and record body score condition. Assessment of farm records, history given by the owner and actual observations are conclusive to certify the health of the animals.

One health concept is accepted all over the world and it is necessary to monitor health of the farm animals for maintaining human health and environment clean. It is possible to eradicate diseases through collective effects and preventive vaccination strategies for food security. Bio-security measures on farm is of greatest importance to keep animal healthy.

Healthy animals are most useful in organic agriculture and dairy farming. Longevity increases with health and thus helps to increase economic returns from the animals. Preventive healthcare strategies are possible with ayurvedic drugs and etheno-veterinary practices. Ample literature is available on ilhealth, comparatively less is written, known, and published on approaches of preventive health care.