Major Diseases of Cattle and Buffalo: Causes & MCQs

By Skumar -

 

Major Diseases of Cattle and Buffalo: Causes & MCQs

Cattle and buffalo play a very important role in Indian agriculture and dairy farming. India is one of the largest milk producers in the world due to breeds like Gir, Sahiwal, Murrah, and others. However, livestock production is greatly affected by various diseases.

Proper knowledge about disease causes, symptoms, prevention, and control measures helps farmers reduce economic losses and improve productivity.

Fertility in Livestock, Oestrus, Parturition & Milk Secretion | Animal Husbandry

Classification of Diseases in Cattle & Buffalo

Diseases are broadly classified into:

  1. Bacterial Diseases

  2. Viral Diseases

  3. Parasitic Diseases

  4. Fungal Diseases

  5. Metabolic & Nutritional Disorders

1. Bacterial Diseases

1. Hemorrhagic Septicemia (HS)

Cause: Pasteurella multocida
Symptoms:

  • High fever (104–106°F)

  • Swelling in throat region

  • Breathing difficulty

  • Sudden death

Prevention:

  • Annual vaccination before monsoon

  • Proper hygiene

Control:

  • Antibiotics (under veterinary guidance)

  • Isolation of affected animals

2. Black Quarter (BQ)

Cause: Clostridium chauvoei
Symptoms:

  • Swelling in hip/shoulder

  • Fever

  • Lameness

  • Crepitation sound in muscles

Prevention:

  • Vaccination yearly

Control:

  • Early antibiotic treatment

3. Mastitis

Cause: Bacteria (Staphylococcus, Streptococcus)
Symptoms:

  • Swollen udder

  • Pain

  • Abnormal milk (watery, clots)

Prevention:

  • Clean milking practices

  • Teat dipping

Control:

  • Intramammary antibiotics

2. Viral Diseases

4. Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)

Cause: FMD Virus
Symptoms:

  • Blisters in mouth & hooves

  • Excess salivation

  • Lameness

  • Drop in milk yield

Prevention:

  • Biannual vaccination

Control:

  • Isolation

  • Disinfection of shed

5. Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD)

Cause: Capripox virus
Symptoms:

  • Skin nodules

  • Fever

  • Reduced milk production

Prevention:

  • Vaccination

  • Vector control

6. Rinderpest (Cattle Plague)

Cause: Rinderpest virus
Symptoms:

  • Diarrhea

  • Ulcers in mouth

  • High mortality

(Note: Globally eradicated)

🦠 3. Parasitic Diseases

7. Theileriosis

Cause: Theileria (tick-borne)
Symptoms:

  • High fever

  • Enlarged lymph nodes

  • Anemia

Prevention:

  • Tick control

  • Vaccination (in endemic areas)

8. Trypanosomiasis (Surra)

Cause: Trypanosoma evansi
Symptoms:

  • Fever

  • Weakness

  • Weight loss

Control:

  • Antiprotozoal drugs

9. Worm Infestation

Cause: Internal parasites
Symptoms:

  • Diarrhea

  • Poor growth

  • Rough hair coat

Prevention:

  • Regular deworming (3–4 times/year)

🦠 4. Fungal Disease

10. Ringworm

Cause: Fungal infection
Symptoms:

  • Circular skin lesions

  • Hair loss

Control:

  • Topical antifungal treatment

🦠 5. Metabolic & Nutritional Disorders

11. Milk Fever

Cause: Calcium deficiency
Symptoms:

  • Muscle tremors

  • Unable to stand

Prevention:

  • Balanced mineral feeding

12. Ketosis

Cause: Energy deficiency
Symptoms:

  • Reduced appetite

  • Sweet smell breath

Control:

  • Glucose therapy

🛡️ General Preventive Measures

✔️ Vaccination schedule
✔️ Clean housing
✔️ Balanced nutrition
✔️ Regular deworming
✔️ Quarantine new animals
✔️ Regular veterinary check-up

📝 50 MCQs on Cattle & Buffalo Diseases

1. Hemorrhagic Septicemia is caused by:

A. Virus
B. Fungus
C. Bacteria
D. Protozoa

Answer: C
Explanation: Caused by Pasteurella multocida, a bacterium.

2. FMD is a:

A. Bacterial disease
B. Viral disease
C. Fungal disease
D. Nutritional disease

Answer: B
Explanation: Caused by Foot and Mouth Disease virus.

3. Mastitis mainly affects:

A. Liver
B. Lungs
C. Udder
D. Hoof

Answer: C
Explanation: It is inflammation of mammary gland.

4. Black Quarter commonly affects:

A. Brain
B. Muscles
C. Skin
D. Kidney

Answer: B
Explanation: Muscle swelling with gas formation.

5. Lumpy Skin Disease is caused by:

A. Bacteria
B. Virus
C. Protozoa
D. Worm

Answer: B
Explanation: Caused by Capripox virus.

6. Theileriosis spreads through:

A. Air
B. Water
C. Tick
D. Feed

Answer: C
Explanation: It is tick-borne disease.

7. Milk fever occurs due to deficiency of:

A. Iron
B. Calcium
C. Phosphorus
D. Iodine

Answer: B
Explanation: Hypocalcemia causes milk fever.

8. Ringworm is:

A. Viral
B. Bacterial
C. Fungal
D. Parasitic

Answer: C
Explanation: It is a fungal infection.

9. Excess salivation is symptom of:

A. FMD
B. Mastitis
C. Ketosis
D. Milk fever

Answer: A

10. Surra is caused by:

A. Theileria
B. Trypanosoma
C. Clostridium
D. Virus

Answer: B

11. HS vaccination is generally done before:

A. Winter
B. Summer
C. Monsoon
D. Spring

Answer: C
Explanation: Hemorrhagic Septicemia outbreaks are common during rainy season, so vaccination is done before monsoon.

12. Black Quarter mainly affects:

A. Old animals
B. Calves below 1 month
C. Young cattle (6 months–2 years)
D. Pregnant animals

Answer: C
Explanation: BQ commonly affects young growing cattle.

13. The main economic loss in mastitis is due to:

A. Infertility
B. Reduced milk yield
C. Lameness
D. Fever

Answer: B
Explanation: Mastitis directly reduces milk production and quality.

14. Ketosis is most common in:

A. Dry animals
B. Male buffalo
C. Calves
D. High yielding dairy cows

Answer: D
Explanation: High-producing animals face energy deficiency after calving.

15. Recommended deworming frequency is:

A. Once in lifetime
B. 3–4 times per year
C. Only when sick
D. Every month

Answer: B
Explanation: Regular deworming prevents parasitic load.

16. FMD lesions are mainly seen in:

A. Eyes
B. Tail
C. Mouth and hooves
D. Horn

Answer: C
Explanation: FMD causes vesicles in mouth and between hooves.

17. Severe anemia is common in:

A. Theileriosis
B. Ringworm
C. Milk fever
D. Mastitis

Answer: A
Explanation: Theileria destroys red blood cells causing anemia.

18. Teat dipping is a preventive method for:

A. FMD
B. BQ
C. HS
D. Mastitis

Answer: D
Explanation: Teat dipping reduces bacterial infection of udder.

19. Sudden death with throat swelling indicates:

A. Ketosis
B. Hemorrhagic Septicemia
C. Ringworm
D. Worm infestation

Answer: B
Explanation: HS shows high fever and throat swelling.

20. Rinderpest was a:

A. Bacterial disease
B. Fungal disease
C. Viral disease
D. Nutritional disorder

Answer: C
Explanation: It was caused by Rinderpest virus (now eradicated).

21. Tick control mainly prevents:

A. Mastitis
B. Theileriosis
C. Milk fever
D. Ringworm

Answer: B
Explanation: Theileriosis is tick-borne.

22. Crepitation sound in muscle is symptom of:

A. Mastitis
B. FMD
C. Black Quarter
D. LSD

Answer: C
Explanation: Gas formation in muscles causes crackling sound.

23. Milk fever usually occurs:

A. Before puberty
B. During pregnancy
C. After calving
D. During weaning

Answer: C
Explanation: It occurs due to sudden calcium demand after calving.

24. Lumpy Skin Disease causes:

A. Internal bleeding
B. Skin nodules
C. Diarrhea
D. Hoof cracks

Answer: B
Explanation: LSD causes characteristic nodular lesions.

25. Surra is transmitted by:

A. Ticks
B. Mosquitoes
C. Biting flies
D. Fomites

Answer: C
Explanation: Trypanosoma spreads through biting flies.

26. Quarantine period for new animals is about:

A. 2–3 days
B. 1 week
C. 2–3 weeks
D. 2 months

Answer: C
Explanation: Isolation prevents disease spread.

27. Proper shed ventilation prevents:

A. Only viral disease
B. Only fungal disease
C. Many infectious diseases
D. Genetic disorder

Answer: C
Explanation: Good airflow reduces pathogen load.

28. Vaccination works by:

A. Killing bacteria directly
B. Increasing milk
C. Stimulating immunity
D. Reducing fever

Answer: C
Explanation: Vaccines build immune memory.

29. Clots in milk are symptom of:

A. Ketosis
B. Mastitis
C. FMD
D. Surra

Answer: B
Explanation: Mastitis changes milk consistency.

30. HS mainly affects:

A. Poultry
B. Sheep only
C. Cattle and buffalo
D. Dogs

Answer: C
Explanation: HS commonly affects bovines.

31. Ringworm spreads through:

A. Air only
B. Water only
C. Feed
D. Direct contact

Answer: D
Explanation: It spreads through infected animals or equipment.

32. High fever is common in:

A. Most infectious diseases
B. Only metabolic diseases
C. Genetic disorders
D. Nutritional deficiency

Answer: A
Explanation: Fever is immune response to infection.

33. Energy deficiency leads to:

A. Milk fever
B. Ketosis
C. Mastitis
D. BQ

Answer: B

34. Balanced mineral mixture prevents:

A. Only parasites
B. Only viral diseases
C. Metabolic disorders
D. Skin infection

Answer: C

35. Excess salivation is classic sign of:

A. Surra
B. LSD
C. FMD
D. Ringworm

Answer: C

36. Antibiotics are effective against:

A. Virus
B. Bacteria
C. Protozoa
D. Worms

Answer: B

37. Protozoal disease example is:

A. Mastitis
B. Surra
C. Ringworm
D. BQ

Answer: B

38. Isolation of sick animals helps in:

A. Increasing milk
B. Breeding
C. Disease control
D. Faster growth

Answer: C

39. Worm infestation mainly affects:

A. Digestive system
B. Eye
C. Horn
D. Tail

Answer: A

40. Drop in milk yield is symptom of:

A. FMD
B. Mastitis
C. LSD
D. All of the above

Answer: D

41. FMD virus spreads rapidly through:

A. Direct contact
B. Air
C. Contaminated equipment
D. All of the above

Answer: D

42. Clostridium chauvoei causes:

A. HS
B. Mastitis
C. BQ
D. Surra

Answer: C

43. CMT test is used to detect:

A. Ketosis
B. Mastitis
C. HS
D. FMD

Answer: B

44. LSD is mainly spread by:

A. Insects
B. Soil
C. Feed
D. Water

Answer: A

45. Theileriosis causes enlargement of:

A. Kidney
B. Lymph nodes
C. Heart
D. Brain

Answer: B

46. Milk fever treatment includes:

A. Iron injection
B. Calcium therapy
C. Antibiotics
D. Dewormer

Answer: B

47. Deworming controls:

A. Viral infection
B. Bacterial infection
C. Internal parasites
D. Fungal disease

Answer: C

48. Proper sanitation reduces:

A. Infection risk
B. Genetic defect
C. Breed purity
D. Horn size

Answer: A

49. Early diagnosis helps in:

A. Higher mortality
B. Quick recovery
C. Disease spread
D. Reduced immunity

Answer: B

50. The best method to control livestock disease is:

A. Treatment only
B. Slaughter
C. Prevention through vaccination & hygiene
D. Ignoring symptoms

Answer: C

FAO – Animal Health Section

Conclusion

Diseases in cattle and buffalo cause serious economic loss due to reduced milk yield, mortality, and treatment cost.

Proper vaccination, hygiene, nutrition, and veterinary care are key to prevention. Farmers must follow recommended vaccination and deworming schedules to maintain healthy livestock.


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