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In India, cattle and buffalo need foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccination every six months, haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS) and black quarter (BQ) vaccination once a year before the monsoon, and a one-time brucellosis vaccine for female calves between 4 and 8 months of age. FMD and brucellosis vaccination are free of cost under the Government of India's National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), and lumpy skin disease (LSD) vaccination is carried out through state drives. Your local veterinarian or animal husbandry office can confirm the exact dates for your district.
A single outbreak of FMD, HS or black quarter can undo years of careful feeding and breeding. HS and BQ frequently kill animals within one to three days, and even when an animal survives FMD, milk yield, fertility and draught power can stay depressed for months. Compared with these losses, a vaccination round costs very little — and the two biggest programmes (FMD and brucellosis) are fully government-funded. Under NADCP, India has already administered over 147 crore FMD vaccine doses, and reported FMD outbreaks have fallen sharply since 2019.
All cattle and buffalo from 4 months of age, revaccinated every six months. Government drives usually run twice a year (roughly pre-summer and post-monsoon). Doses under NADCP are free — do not skip a round, because protection fades within months.
Annual vaccination from 6 months of age, ideally in May–June before the rains, because HS outbreaks peak in wet, humid weather. In many states HS and BQ are given together as a combined vaccine. Read our full guide to HS prevention in cattle and buffalo.
Annual vaccination from about 6 months of age, again before the monsoon. BQ mainly kills well-grown young stock between 6 months and 2 years, and treatment is rarely successful once signs appear — vaccination is the only reliable protection. See our detailed post on black quarter signs and prevention.
A single dose for female calves between 4 and 8 months of age protects for life, reduces late-term abortions and protects your family from a serious zoonotic infection. This is also free under NADCP. Learn why it matters in our brucellosis prevention guide.
After the large outbreaks of recent years, most states run LSD vaccination drives. Follow your district schedule, and read our LSD care guide for prevention between drives.
Depending on your area and herd, your veterinarian may add: theileriosis vaccination for crossbred and exotic cattle in tick-prone regions, anthrax vaccination in notified endemic villages, and rabies vaccination after any dog or wild-animal bite. Do not add these on your own — local disease history decides.
Vaccines train the immune system — but the immune system runs on trace minerals, vitamins and energy. Animals short of zinc, copper and selenium respond poorly to any vaccine. A daily chelated mineral supplement such as Cattle Remedies Verymin helps cover these gaps (see our mineral mixture buying guide), and if an animal goes off feed after illness or vaccination stress, an appetite and digestion support like Cattle Remedies Grazup helps it return to normal intake faster. Supplements support immunity — they never replace the vaccine itself.
Yes. Under NADCP (now part of the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme), FMD vaccination for cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs, and brucellosis vaccination for female bovine calves, are 100% centrally funded. You pay nothing during official drives.
No vaccine protects 100% of animals. Poor body condition, heavy worm load, mineral deficiency, a broken cold chain or vaccination after infection had already started can all reduce protection. Vaccinated animals that do fall ill usually get a milder disease.
Yes — lactating animals are routinely vaccinated during drives. A small, short dip in yield for a day or two can occur and recovers on its own. Never skip a lactating animal; she is often the most valuable animal at risk.
This article is for education only. Vaccination schedules vary by district and disease situation — always follow your local veterinarian's and animal husbandry department's advice.
