Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) is much more than a veterinary concern—it is a challenge that reaches deep into rural livelihoods, food security, and even the cultural traditions that define the tribal ethnicity. This highly contagious disease affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, pigs, mithun and wildlife. Across India, FMD is responsible for an estimated annual loss of Rs. 20,000 crore, mainly from reduced milk production, slower growth in animals, treatment expenses, and trade restrictions.
For generations, the mithun (Bos frontalis) has been at the heart of life in Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and other Northeastern states. Among many tribes, gifting a mithun is far more than a gesture—it can seal a marriage, heal long-standing disputes, or mark a harvest of abundance. A thriving mithun herd is a source of pride and a visible sign of prosperity within the village. During festivals and rituals, mithun are offered as sacred gifts, believed to bring blessings, harmony, and peace to the entire community. Beyond their ceremonial role, mithun sustain families in practical and essential ways. Their meat is a vital source of nourishment. Their hide and horns are crafted into tools, ornaments, and traditional attire. The sale of a mithun can support education, pay for healthcare, or cover household needs in times of difficulty. To lose a Mithun due to FMD or any other disease is not just an economic setback. It wounds family pride, disrupts customs handed down for centuries, and shakes the shared identity of hill communities whose lives are bound together by tradition and livestock.
FMD is caused by a fast-mutating RNA virus in the Picornaviridae family. There are seven known types of FMD virus worldwide, but in India, three serotypesi.e. O, A, and Asia-1 are prevalent with O serotype being the most common cause of outbreak. Immunity to one type does not protect animals against the others, which makes control especially difficult. The disease usually begins with fever, loss of appetite, and excessive drooling. Soon after, painful blisters form on the mouth, tongue, feet, and teats. When these blisters rupture, they leave raw, open sores that make it painful for the animals to eat or even walk. While adult animals rarely die of FMD, young ones such as calves, lambs, and piglets can succumb to heart failure. Even animals that recover may quietly carry the virus in their throat for months, posing a hidden risk to nearby herds.
The virus spreads with alarming ease. It can be passed through direct contact when healthy animals mingle with infected ones, or indirectly via contaminated tools, footwear, vehicles, and animal products. Under certain weather conditions, the virus can even travel short distances through the air. To make matters worse, animals can shed the virus before showing any signs of illness. Pigs, for example, can spread FMD a full day before blisters appear, while cattle begin to shed the virus soon after symptoms start.
The economic and cultural costs of an outbreak can be devastating. For smallholder farmers, FMD reduces milk yield, affects meat quality, and slows animal growth, all of which threaten already fragile household incomes. In Nagaland and the wider Northeast, the loss goes even deeper. When mithun herds are struck, weddings may be postponed, community feasts disrupted, and long-held traditions shaken. Protecting these animals means protecting livelihoods, customs, and the very heritage of the hills.
Recognizing these risks, India has taken major steps to fight the disease. The FMD control programme started way back in 2003, where vaccination and disease monitoring was started in a selected few districts of central India, which then further expanded overtime. The National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), launched in 2019, is aimed to make India FMD free by providing free vaccination for cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and pigs. The programme also includes sero-surveillance and monitoring to detect virus circulation and to ensure vaccines are working. Veterinary teams visit villages on scheduled rounds (two time in a year) to vaccinate animals, collect blood samples, and advise farmers on animal care. Farmers are strongly encouraged to bring all their animals for vaccination, maintain proper records, and seek veterinary help at the first sign of illness.
But the responsibility does not rest solely with veterinarians and government staff. Communities themselves have a crucial role to play. Farmers can reduce the spread by keeping their barns and tools clean, disinfecting footwear and equipment after visiting markets or other farms, and avoiding unnecessary movement of livestock during outbreaks. Isolating sick animals promptly can prevent an entire herd or neighbouring villages from becoming infected. Just as importantly, reporting suspected cases quickly allows veterinary teams to act before the virus spreads further.
Community awareness makes a significant difference. Village leaders, youth clubs, farmers’ groups, and local media can all help by reminding people about vaccination days and sharing simple messages on hygiene and biosecurity. Local newspapers, radio programmes, and social media posts are powerful tools to keep everyone informed and vigilant. When neighbours talk to each other about the risks, when a farmer shares news of an outbreak early, or when a young villager reminds elders about vaccination schedules, it strengthens the entire community’s defence.
Effective FMD control doesn’t stop at farm-level vaccination. Larger-scale measures include designating disease-free zones, where continuous monitoring and movement restrictions keep the virus out. To shield these safe areas, authorities often create immune belts—bands of vaccinated livestock forming a living barrier that limits viral spread between infected and uninfected regions. Through vigilance, early reporting, and collective action, India aims to be FMD-free in the coming years. For Mithun farmers and the hilly areas, there are challenges that needs to be addressed. The low vaccine coverage of Mithun population due to the rearing practice is a huge set back, followed by the porous international boundaries. However, with a joint hand and dedication, we can mitigate or at least reduce the incidences of FMD in Mithun. Conservation of the mithun, the proud “cattle of the hills,” will ensure the continuity of tribal traditional practices, customs, and festivals unbroken. When the hills echo with log drums during the Hornbill Festival or a village feast, the sight of healthy mithun is more than a measure of prosperity—it is a living reminder of unity, heritage, and resilience.
Every small step matters. Whether it is vaccinating a calf in a remote hamlet, isolating an animal that shows early signs of infection, or sharing information with a neighbour, each action brings us closer to an FMD-free future. Protecting our mithun is protecting our livelihoods, our economy, and the vibrant traditions that make our hills unique. By standing together, we can ensure that the proud cattle of the hills remain a source of strength, identity, and joy for generations to come.
Dr. H. Lalzampuia &LimasunglaImchen
ICAR- NRC on Mithun, Nagaland 797106
Saturday, December 13, 2025