In News:

The National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) has emerged as a major nationwide, data-driven livestock health intervention aimed at controlling economically important animal diseases through systematic vaccination and surveillance.

About NADCP

Launched in 2019, NADCP is one of India’s largest livestock health programmes. It is a Central Sector Scheme, with 100% funding by the Central Government to States/UTs.

The programme primarily targets Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis through nationwide vaccination and disease surveillance. Its targets are:

• FMD: 100% vaccination of eligible livestock twice every year.
• Brucellosis:once-in-a-lifetime vaccination of female bovine calves aged 4–8 months.

The nodal ministry is the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.

Diseases Covered

• Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and pigs.
• It causes reduced milk yield, lower growth rate, infertility and reduced working capacity of bullocks, thereby affecting livestock productivity and farmers’ incomes.
• Brucellosis is a bacterial reproductive disease of cattle and buffaloes caused by Brucella abortus. It is associated with fever, abortion—particularly during the later stages of pregnancy—infertility, delayed heat and interrupted lactation, resulting in calf and milk/meat production losses. Control is supported through one-time vaccination of female bovine calves aged 4–8 months.