Pakistan to make vaccine to eradicate sheep, goat plague

Islamabad, The Gulf Observer: In its quest to eradicate sheep and goat plague by 2028, Pakistan has obtained seed virus from the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development for local production of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) vaccine.

The initiative will save Rs60 billion spent every year to fight sheep and goat plague.

The seed virus, cell line and serum worth of 25,000 euros was delivered to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research by the FAO deputy representative, Farrukh Toirove, at a ceremony held in Islamabad on Friday.

Centre for International Develo­pment (CIRAD) experts will train teams involved in the production of PPR vaccine.

The PPR, also known as sheep and goat plague, has been a pervasive threat to global livestock population, causing significant economic losses and affecting livelihood of millions of farmers. It is also a highly contagious animal disease affecting domestic and wild small ruminants.

CIRAD experts will also provide training for storage of seed and cell lines. The plague causes annual losses of more than $342 million through high levels of morbidity and mortality.