IMMUNIZATION OF BUFFALOES AGAINST RINDEEPEST IN ASSAM*
By V. R. GOPALAKRISHNAN, Veterinary Investigation Officer, Assam
(Received for publication on 24 April 1945)
RINDERPEST in buffaloes is of common occurrence
in Assam and heavy mortality is often observed.
The technique of goat virus vaccination, with or
without serum, has been adopted for the control
of outbreaks. The object of this paper is to present
a brief description of certain features observed in
the course of immunization of the local types of
buffaloes and those in different localities of the
province. It may be stated that vaccination with
goat tissue virus (1 c.c. of 1 : 200 spleen emulsion
i n saline), has been adopted as a routine, both as
a prophylactic and for control of outbreaks in cattle
and this method has given very encouraging results
for some years now.
In regard to buffaloes, immunization is usually
undertaken in actual outbreaks of rinderpest and
not as a prophylactic measure. This is mainly
lue to the fact that there is evidence of a wide
ange in the degree of reaction in the local types
of buffaloes and also in buffaloes in different areas.
A. standard routine for vaccination of buffaloes
could not be fixed as the dosage of serum is variable
and has to be regulated in accordance with these
t wo factors. Field observations indicate that the
reaction is more severe in buffaloes than in cattle.
As a result of such severe reaction, partial reduc-
tion or complete cessation of milk yield and diarrhœa
have been observed ; even deaths among the vacci-
-ated have occurred. Such disquieting factors are
likely to affect adversely the popularity of vaccina-
tion.
Buffaloes are maintained generally for milk and
they are in some respects more economical milk
producers than either indigenous or crossbred
cattle. Besides, there appears to be a tendency,
though not a very marked one, to displace bullocks
for traction purposes by male buffaloes, especially
in ploughing in marshy lands. At present the male
stock is of great utility in certain types of cultiva-
tion and, as such, the buffalo has an important
place in the general agriculture of the province.
Al so the poor quality of Assam cattle is in marked
contrast to the fine quality of the Assam buffalo.
Hence a fairly large number of buffaloes is main-
--ined in Assam and the opportunity was taken
to immunize them with the least mishap, as far as
possible, by exercising great caution.
TYPES OF BUFFALOES AND THIER LOCALITIES
A brief description of the types of buffaloes in
Assam would be helpful to ascertain the degree of
their susceptibility. It can hardly be claimed that
this province has any recognized breed of buffaloes.
However, they may be roughly classified as under :
(1) Local or Assam buffaloes. These are massive
and. fierce animals ; sometimes there is very little
difference between this type and wild buffaloes.
(2) Local hill buffaloes. These are mainly Manipuri
buffaloes and, to a less extent, those found at the
foot-hills of Mikir, Khasi and Jaintia Hills, etc., and
are generally smaller in size.
(3) Imported buffaloes or Bangar. These are im-
ported mostly from Bihar and also from Bengal.
The animals are much quieter in temperament and
can be recognized from the indigenous types by
their medium size.
Although it may be possible to distinguish the
above types with a fair degree of accuracy, a variety
of crossbred animals have developed due to indis-
criminate admixture of blood from all these types.
Further, the quality of buffaloes in Assam is said
to be kept up by crossing with the wild buffaloes.
A wild buffalo frequently attaches himself to a
herd and is usually tolerated by the herdsmen
[Blackwood, 1916].
Regarding localities, it may be stated that buffaloes
are distributed both in the plains and hills of Assam.
In the plains of the Assam valleys, buffaloes of
local, imported and mixed breeds are found. Where
the plains border on the hill region, hill buffaloes
and their mixed breeds are common. Buffaloes in
the Surma valley are mostly of mixed breeds of
Manipuri and Bangar and pure Manipuri. Apart
from the Assam and Surma valleys, the rest of the
province consists of ranges of hills. Starting on
the west of the Assam range, we have in succession
the Garo Hills and the Khasi and Jaintia Hills
which are joined by North Cachar to the Naga
Hills on the north-east and to Manipur on the south-
east. South-west of Manipur are the Lushai Hills.
The average elevation is about 4,000 ft but some
peaks rise to 7,000 ft [McSwiney, 1912]. Buffaloes
in the lower slopes of the hills, that approach the
plains, are mainly local hill type and to a less extent
mixed breeds.
IMMUNIZATION
It would appear necessary to describe the method
of immunization in each circle in the Assam Valley
where mixed herds of varying susceptibility are
usually met with. In the Lower Assam Circle the
local buffaloes are vaccinated with 0.5 c.c.—that
is, half the normal dose—of goat tissue vaccine
alone. The reaction is mild with slight reduction
*Paper read at the Indian Science Congress (Section of
Medical and Veterinary Sciences), Nagpur, January 1945.
253