VETERINARY
TREATMENT GUIDELINES: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
NEWS: Centre
releases standard veterinary treatment guidelines for livestock and poultry
WHAT’S
IN THE NEWS?
The SVTG, launched by the Ministry of Animal
Husbandry, standardizes veterinary treatment to reduce antibiotic use and
promote cost-effective Ayurvedic and ethnoveterinary medicines, helping lower
antimicrobial resistance and treatment costs for farmers.
Standard
Veterinary Treatment Guidelines (SVTG):
·
Purpose & Development: SVTG was launched by the Department of Animal
Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) in collaboration with FAO and USAID to
standardize veterinary treatment, improve animal health, and promote
responsible drug use in India.
·
Access & Updates: Available as a mobile-friendly digital manual, SVTG is a
"live" document updated every 2-3 years based on field advancements.
Content
Structure:
·
Animal Coverage: Guidelines cover diseases in cattle, buffaloes, goats, sheep, poultry,
pigs, camels, equines, mithuns, and yaks.
·
Disease Types:
Infectious, non-infectious, and parasitic diseases are included with detailed
guidance on etiology, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, preventive
measures, and drug dosage.
Poultry
Focus:
·
Diseases Covered: Viral (e.g., Avian Influenza), Bacterial (e.g., Salmonella), Parasitic
(e.g., Coccidiosis).
·
Biosecurity & Vaccination: Emphasis on biosecurity measures and detailed
vaccination schedules for poultry.
Goals:
·
Prevent Drug Misuse: Standardizes treatment to curb irrational drug use, reducing
antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
·
Policy Guidance: Assists policymakers in assessing veterinary medicine quality and
informs budget decisions.
Antibiotic
vs. Antimicrobial Resistance:
·
Antibiotic Resistance: Resistance specifically by bacteria against
antibiotics.
·
Antimicrobial Resistance: Resistance by any microorganism (bacteria,
viruses, fungi, parasites) against antimicrobial drugs, creating
"superbugs."
Causes of
AMR:
·
Misuse in
medicine and agriculture.
·
Environmental
contamination from pharmaceutical waste releasing active antimicrobials.