NADCP: 147 crore FMD vaccine doses administered

The National Animal Disease Control Programme: what happened?

A sick cow gives less milk, may not calve, and cannot be sold abroad. Foot and Mouth Disease and Brucellosis have cost Indian farmers dearly for years. NADCP set out to vaccinate the whole herd on a fixed schedule. Six years on, the backgrounder shows the results.

• PIB released a backgrounder on NADCP titled “A Disease-Free Tomorrow for Indian Livestock”.
• Reported FMD outbreaks fell from 132 in 2019 to 40 by 2025.
• NSP antibody prevalence, a sign of FMD virus circulation, fell from 20.8 per cent in 2019 to 8.1 per cent in 2025.
• There has been no FMD outbreak from serotype Asia-1 in the last three years.
• Over 39.00 crore livestock are registered on the Bharat Pashudhan Portal.

What are FMD and Brucellosis?

• FMD: a highly contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs. It cuts milk, slows growth and limits export markets.
• Brucellosis: a reproductive disease of cattle and buffaloes caused by the bacterium Brucella abortus. There is no cure in bovines, so vaccination is the main control.
• India’s livestock population is 535.78 million, including 302.79 million bovines (20th Livestock Census 2019).

How does NADCP work?

• FMD: mass vaccination of all susceptible livestock every six months.
• Brucellosis: one-time vaccination of female bovine calves aged 4 to 8 months.
• Ear-tagging and registration on the Bharat Pashudhan Portal, with a 12-digit Tag ID for each animal.
• Sero-surveillance and sero-monitoring before and after vaccination; vaccinators get at least ₹3 per dose.
• Since 2024, FMD vaccination also covers pastoral sheep and goats on migratory routes in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

What support systems back it?

• 4,019 Mobile Veterinary Units in 29 States and UTs, on toll-free number 1962; 136 lakh farmers served and 276 lakh animals treated.
• 39,810 MAITRI technicians trained for doorstep services.
• A US$25 million Pandemic Fund project (2024) with ADB, FAO and the World Bank strengthens animal health security.

Which constitutional provisions apply?

• Seventh Schedule, List II (State List), Entry 15: preservation, protection and improvement of stock and prevention of animal diseases; veterinary training and practice.
• Article 48: the State shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and take steps for preserving and improving the breeds.

What do the numbers show?

How strong is the immunity?

How does an animal move through NADCP?

1. Animal is ear-tagged with a 12-digit ID
2. Data uploaded on the Bharat Pashudhan Portal
3. FMD vaccine every six months; Brucellosis once for female calves
4. Blood samples tested before and after vaccination
5. Outbreaks investigated and animal movement regulated

Why does the National Animal Disease Control Programme matter?

What are the challenges in the National Animal Disease Control Programme?

• FMD outbreaks have fallen but not ended: 40 were reported in 2025.
• Human brucellosis often goes undetected, NDDB notes.
• Migratory flocks are hard to cover; vaccination reached pastoral sheep and goats only in 2024.
• Cold chain and vaccine quality must hold across 29 States and UTs.

What should be done next on the National Animal Disease Control Programme?

• Move step by step towards international standards for FMD freedom.
• Expand laboratory accreditation and genomic surveillance.
• Use AI-enabled disease intelligence and real-time dashboards.
• Strengthen One Health coordination across human, animal and environmental health.
• Reach the target of 3,000 kg of milk per animal a year by 2030.

What can Prelims ask on the National Animal Disease Control Programme?

• NADCP launched September 2019; targets FMD and Brucellosis.
• FMD: viral, cloven-hoofed animals; vaccination every six months.
• Brucellosis: bacterial (Brucella abortus); one-time vaccine for female calves aged 4 to 8 months.
• Mobile Veterinary Units: toll-free 1962.
• Prevention of animal diseases: List II, Entry 15.

How to write about the National Animal Disease Control Programme in Mains

Practice question (15 marks, 250 words): Animal disease control is central to farmers’ income and to One Health. Evaluate the National Animal Disease Control Programme in this light.

• Intro: NADCP 2019; FMD and Brucellosis.
• Design: biannual FMD vaccination, one-time Brucellosis vaccine, digital tagging.
• Results: outbreaks down, immunity up, productivity and milk up.
• Gaps: residual outbreaks, migratory herds, human brucellosis.
• Way forward: FMD freedom, genomic surveillance, One Health; List II Entry 15.