Northeast

Nine water buffaloes die mysteriously; more infected at Namrei village in Ukhrul

Several water buffaloes infected with the unknown disease at Namrei village in Ukhrul district in Manipur show acute tongue blisters, foamy saliva and foot infections.

ByRicky Angkang

Updated 4 May 2022, 5:26 pm

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An unknown animal disease has reportedly killed nine Asiatic water buffaloes and infected several others at Namrei village under Chingai area in Ukhrul district over the last few days.

Sources said the disease claimed one more buffalo on Monday. Buffaloes which had succumbed to the disease in the last part of April showed acute tongue blisters, foamy saliva and foot infections, the sources said.

The village has around 90 water buffaloes of bovine breed. However, due to the outbreak of the foot and mouth disease, scores of the Asiatic buffalo species have been infected and are in critical condition, the sources added.

One Javane Lungleng, a cattle farmer of Namrei village, told the Imphal Free Press on Monday that two of his buffaloes had succumbed to an unknown disease and several others were infected and in grave danger. 

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"In the absence of vaccine allocation from the concerned department, we purchased it from the private pharmacies to ensure that further spread of the disease is prevented... However, it showed no improvement and had rendered scores of the disease-stricken ones in critical condition," Lungleng, who is also a member of Seiva Namrei (Cattle Union), said.

Stating that no veterinary staff is posted in the village and that there are no facilities to contain the outbreak of domesticated animal diseases, he urged concerned departments to step in and initiate prompt vaccination and other necessary remedial measures in the interests of the poor farmers.

Recently, several Asiatic buffaloes of the bovine breed had fallen to an unknown disease at Kharasom, Tusom and Chingjaroi village in Ukhrul district.

It is worth mentioning that water buffaloes is still widely used by the farmers for ploughing their fields prior to planting the paddy. The demand for beef is very high in the market and given the high demand rate, especially during festival, marriage and during ploughing season, a matured buffaloes cost approximately 90,000 plus.

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Given the recurring nature of animal diseases among the domesticated livestock, providing timely vaccination, raising more awareness on animal care and its application in organic farming etc., would bring rich dividends to the farmers. 

Namrei village in north of Ukhrul district is home to around 130 households and is located 70 km from the district headquarters.

Till the time of filing the report, no expert team from the concerned department had neither visited the village nor collected the sample of the dead carcasses.

Also Read: Crackdown on Vehicle Lifters: Arrests continue, seven more vehicles recovered

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Tags:

ukhrulanimal diseasenamreiwater buffaloeslivestockunknown disease

Ricky Angkang

Ricky Angkang

IFP Correspondent, Ukhrul, Manipur

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