Indian scientists find way to make swine vaccine without killing rabbits

Scientists of animal research institute Izatnagar (IVRI) have made this vaccine under ICAR. The new vaccine will cost just Rs 2 which is 23 rupees cheaper from the older vaccine.

Representational Image

New Delhi: Indian scientists have developed a solution to fight swine fever which is mostly found in pigs by creating a new vaccine using cell culture. The swine fever vaccine found in the market so far was made by killing rabbits and using its spline. Only 50 vaccines can be made from one rabbit, whereas the requirement was of 2 crore vaccines which could only be obtained by the killing of nearly 4 lakh rabbits. 

Scientists of animal research institute Izatnagar (IVRI) have made this vaccine under ICAR. The Director-General of ICAR and Research Secretary to the Government of India, Trilochan Mohapatra, said, "The vaccine that has been made has greatly increased its potency, its titer will be 1000 times more than the old UK technology and since it is very cheap it will be very beneficial for farmers."

The new vaccine will cost just Rs 2 which is 23 rupees cheaper from the older vaccine which costs Rs 25. Besides this, the vaccine which was made using rabbits spline used to have its effect for only 6 months after which it had to be re-infused but the new grown vaccine will have its effect for as long as 2 years.

Union Animal Husbandry Secretary Atul Chaturvedi expressed happiness on the success of the scientist and said, "In the next 6 months we will try to commercialize the vaccine. We are also planning to export it. The work was going on for almost 4 years now. We have got success now. The biggest thing is that we saved the rabbit and swine will survive."