As many as 697 cattle were vaccinated against Haemorrhagic Septicaemia and Black Quarter disease in a vaccination camp at the fringe villages of Kaziranga National Park (KNP).
A total of 1780 livestock and poultry birds were also treated for different ailments including health check-up of elephants in the camp organised at Kohora area of the park by Directorate of Extension Education, Assam Agriculture University (AAU) Khanapara and Faculty of Veterinary Science of the university in association with department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary.
“The day-long vaccination cum treatment camp at fringe villages of KNP was organized as a part of Assam Agricultural University’s Golden Jubilee celebration year,” said an AAU faculty member.
A group of 12 teachers and 14 PG students under the leadership of Dr A Borgohain, Associate Director of Extension Education, AAU, Khanapara, participated in the camp, he said.
Blood and faecal samples were also collected from elephants for diagnosis of various diseases from Mihirmukh area of the park.
A 20 numbers of working elephants of Khatara area were also treated for various diseases. The programme was inaugurated by Dr Kamal Malla Bujarbaruah, Vice Chancellor of Assam Agricultural University.
VC Bujarbaruah in his speech spoke on the importance of vaccination of animals in fringe villages as a measure to form an immune belt as most of the diseases get transmitted from livestock of fringe villages to the wild animals.
Dr. B.N. Saikia, Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Science, AAU, Khanapara spoke of importance of involvement of student in conservation and treatment of wild animals and also about important immune belt around the national park.
He emphasized on an importance of vaccination for the welfare of livestock of fringe villages. Dr. B.N. Bhattacharyya, Deputy Director of Research (Vety.) and Dr. Pritam Mohan, Representative to BOM, AAU, Khanapara also attended the programme.
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary, Golaghat provided support to the programme.