A disease is a change in the normal health of an animal that makes it weak, unproductive, or unable to perform its normal functions. A diseased animal may look dull, lose weight, stop eating, or even die if not treated.
A pest is any living organism, such as lice, ticks, mites, or flies, that disturbs or harms farm animals. Some pests bite and suck the blood of animals, while others cause itching or transmit diseases from one animal to another.
It helps you to understand that pests can cause direct harm to animals, and diseases affect their general health and productivity.
Farm animals can fall sick due to many types of disease-causing organisms. These include:
Bacteria: Tiny single-celled organisms that cause infections like mastitis and brucellosis.
Fungi: Simple plants without chlorophyll that cause infections such as ringworm.
Viruses: Very small organisms that live inside living cells and cause diseases such as foot and mouth disease.
Protozoa: Tiny one-celled animals that cause diseases such as coccidiosis and trypanosomiasis.
Worms (Helminths): Internal parasites that live inside the animal’s body and feed on blood or food.
Nutritional or Metabolic Problems: Caused by poor feeding or lack of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
It helps you to know the cause of a disease so that you can use the correct method to control it.
Mastitis: This affects cows, goats, and sheep. It causes swelling and pain in the udder and may reduce milk production.
Brucellosis: This causes abortion in pregnant animals such as cows, goats, and pigs.
Ringworm: A fungal disease that causes round patches without hair on the animal’s skin.
Foot and Mouth Disease: A viral disease that causes blisters in the mouth and on the feet of cattle, goats, and pigs.
Coccidiosis: This affects poultry and rabbits, causing blood in droppings and general weakness.
Trypanosomiasis (Nagana): A protozoan disease that affects cattle and is spread by the tsetse fly. It causes fever, weakness, and loss of appetite.
Internal Worm Infection: This affects many farm animals and causes poor growth, loss of weight, and weakness.
Bloat: This mostly affects cattle and happens when too much gas collects in the stomach.
Direct Contact: When a healthy animal touches or stays close to a sick animal.
Indirect Contact: When animals share contaminated feed, water, or equipment.
Through Air: Some diseases spread through the air when animals cough or sneeze.
Through Vectors: Insects like ticks, flies, and mosquitoes carry diseases.
Through Feces: Animals may eat food or drink water that contains the waste of sick animals.
It helps you to know that cleanliness and good management are the best ways to stop the spread of diseases.
Swelling or sores on the body or udder.
Fever or high body temperature.
Discharge from the nose, mouth, or eyes.
Diarrhea or watery stool.
Loss of appetite.
Weight loss and weakness.
Rough or falling hair.
Reduction in milk, meat, or egg production.
Abortion in pregnant animals.
Death in severe cases.
It helps you to identify sick animals early so that treatment can begin quickly.
Low production of milk, meat, and eggs.
Weak and unproductive animals.
High cost of treatment.
Loss of animals through death.
Delay in growth and maturity.
It helps you to understand that preventing diseases saves time, money, and animals.
Buy only healthy animals.
Keep new animals separate for about three weeks before mixing them with others.
Clean animal houses regularly.
Vaccinate animals against common diseases.
Use medicine to kill worms, ticks, and lice.
Isolate sick animals immediately.
Burn or bury dead animals and contaminated materials.
Avoid overcrowding.
Provide clean water and good food.
Consult a veterinary doctor for proper treatment.
It helps you to keep your animals healthy and reduce losses on the farm.
For Mastitis :
1. clean the udder properly.
2. isolate sick animals.
3. use the correct medicine.
For Foot and Mouth Disease :.
1. isolate infected animals.
2. disinfect the pens.
3. vaccinate healthy ones.
For Internal Worms :
1. deworm animals regularly.
2. keep pens clean.
3. rotate grazing areas.
Diseases make animals weak and reduce production.
Pests disturb animals or spread diseases.
Recognising the signs of diseases helps in early control.
Cleanliness, vaccination, and good feeding help to prevent diseases.
Healthy animals lead to higher farm profits.
What is an animal disease?
What is an animal pest?
List five types of organisms that cause animal diseases.
Mention four ways diseases spread among animals.
List any five signs that show an animal is sick.
State five ways to prevent animal diseases.
Choose one disease and explain its cause, symptoms, and control.
