Animal Health Sector: Govt Finalizes Standard Veterinary Treatment Guidelines

New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) The government has prepared draft Standard Veterinary Treatment Guidelines (SVTGs) aimed at standardizing practices across the rapidly growing animal health sector, an official release said on Monday.

The guidelines, covering 274 diseases across 12 major livestock species, were finalized during a two-day workshop in New Delhi last week, bringing together 78 key stakeholders from various veterinary and animal health organizations, an official statement said.

Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, emphasized the critical role of the sector in supporting livelihoods and ensuring food security.

"The value of milk and milk products alone in India exceeds 12 lakh crore rupees," Upadhyaya said at the workshop's closing session.

The SVTGs aim to establish consistent treatment protocols, reduce variability in prescription practices, and enhance compliance among veterinarians and other prescribers. This move is expected to help policymakers control and manage animal diseases more efficiently, the statement said.

A key focus of the guidelines is promoting veterinary drug stewardship to curb irrational treatment practices and reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance, a growing concern for both animal and human health.

The initiative, supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), aligns with India's National Action Plan for Antimicrobial Resistance and the global One Health approach.

Upadhyaya also highlighted the National Dairy Development Board's efforts in developing ethno-veterinary practices for common livestock ailments, suggesting their dissemination through government-trained agents to promote alternatives to antimicrobials.

The adoption of these guidelines is expected to enhance food safety by reducing antimicrobial and drug residues in animal-derived foods, officials said.