An appeal to mark Feb. 14 as Cow Hug Day
Why in news:
- The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) wants to name February 14 as Cow Hug Day and has appealed to the public to embrace cows, claiming that it would bring “emotional richness” and increase “individual and collective happiness”.
- Cow is the backbone of Indian culture and the rural economy, sustaining life, and representing cattle wealth and biodiversity.
- It is known as Kamdhenu and Gaumata because of its nourishing nature like a mother, the giver of all, providing riches to humanity.
Lumpy Skin disease:
- Dairy farmers, on the other hand, alleged that the Board did not even help them when thousands of cows died due to lumpy skin disease recently.
Characteristics of the disease:
- Lumpy skin disease(LSD) is an infectious disease in cattle caused by a virusof the family Poxviridae.
- The disease is characterized by large fever, enlarged superficial lymph nodes and multiple nodules on the skin and mucous membranes.
- Infected cattle also may develop edematous swelling in their limbs and exhibit lameness.
- The virus has important economic implications since affected animals tend to have permanent damage to their skin, lowering the commercial value of their hide.
- Additionally, the disease often results in chronic debility, reduced milk production, poor growth, infertility, abortion, and sometimes death.
- LSDV mainly affects cattle and zebus, but has also been seen in giraffes, water buffalo, and impalas.
- Outbreaks of LSDV are associated with high temperature and high humidity.
- It is usually more prevalent during the wet summer and autumn months, especially in low-lying areas or near bodies of water, however, outbreaks can also occur during the dry season.
- Blood-feeding insects such as mosquitos and flies act as mechanical vectors to spread the disease. A single species vector has not been identified.
- In India between July-September 2022 the lumpy skin disease outbreak in India resulted in the death of over 80,000 cattle.
- The state of Rajasthan has seen a majority of the deaths.
More about Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI):
- The Animal Welfare Board of India is a statutory advisory body on Animal Welfare Laws and promotes animal welfare in the country.
- It is established in 1962 under Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
- It comes under the administrative control of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
- The Board consists of 28 Members including 6 Members of Parliament (2 Members of Parliament from Rajya Sabha and 4 Members of Parliament from Lok Sabha).
- The term of office of Members is for a period of 3 years.
Syllabus: Prelims + Mains; GS4 – Ethics
