India Launches Standard Guidelines for Veterinary Care
- 01 Nov 2024
In October 2024, the Union Ministry of Animal Husbandry introduced the Standard Veterinary Treatment Guidelines (SVTG) to regulate antibiotic use in livestock and poultry, also incorporating Ayurvedic treatments.
Key Points
- Antibiotics Regulation: The SVTG is the first nationwide standard set for managing antibiotic use across various animal and bird diseases, aiming to address issues of antimicrobial resistance in veterinary care.
- Comprehensive Treatment Protocols: The guidelines provide details on medication types, dosages, treatment duration, withdrawal periods, and possible adverse reactions for nearly all animal and bird diseases.
- Inclusion of Ayurvedic Practices: The SVTG includes “ethnoveterinary” and Ayurvedic practices, offering cost-effective treatment options that benefit small-scale and marginal farmers through natural alternatives.
- Economic Benefits for Farmers: The SVTG is expected to lower farmers' medical expenses, with cost-effective medicine options now prescribed, thus potentially reducing the economic burden on rural communities.
- Input from State Authorities: Developed by a team of over 80 experts from veterinary and medical fields, the guidelines included consultations with state authorities, aiming for precise animal health services accessible to veterinarians, paraprofessionals, and animal health workers.
- Proven Efficacy of Herbal Drugs: Herbal treatments, such as those tested by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for conditions like bovine mastitis, have been validated and are included in the guidelines to limit antibiotic overuse and associated costs.
- Widespread Benefits of SVTG Adoption: The SVTG is projected to improve animal health, ensure safer animal-source foods, and limit unnecessary antimicrobial or drug residues, ultimately reducing antimicrobial resistance.
