<p>Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday launched the country's first homegrown Covid-19 vaccine Anocovax for animals, developed by Haryana-based ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (NRC).</p>.<p>Anocovax is an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Delta (Covid-19) vaccine for animals. The immunity induced by Anocovax neutralises both Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said in a statement.</p>.<p>The vaccine contains inactivated SARS-CoV-2 (Delta) antigen with Alhydrogel as an adjuvant. It is safe for dogs, lions, leopards, mice and rabbits, it added.</p>.<p>"It is due to the untiring contributions of scientists that the country stands self-reliant in developing its own vaccines more rather than importing. This is really a big achievement," Tomar said after the virtual launch of the Covid-19 vaccine and diagnostic kits for animals developed by the ICAR-NRC.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/covid-vaccine-3rd-dose-low-coverage-worries-experts-1116859.html" target="_blank">Covid vaccine 3rd dose: Low coverage worries experts</a></strong></p>.<p>Besides Anocovax, Tomar launched the 'CAN-CoV-2 ELISA kit' -- a sensitive and specific nucleocapsid protein-based indirect ELISA kit -- for antibody detection against SARS-CoV-2 in canines.</p>.<p>"There are no laboratory animals required for the preparation of the antigens. The kit is made in India and a patent has been filed for the same. No other comparable kits for detection of antibodies in canines are available in the market," the ICAR said.</p>.<p>Surra ELISA kit, a suitable diagnostic assay for 'Trypanosoma evansi' infection in multiple animal species, was also launched.</p>.<p>Surra is one of the most important haemoprotozoan diseases of the different livestock species caused by Trypanosoma evansi. The disease is prevalent in all the agro-climatic parts of India. In India, losses to livestock productivity were estimated to be Rs 44,740 million annually due to Surra, the ICAR noted.</p>.<p>The minister also launched the Equine DNA parentage testing kit, which is a powerful genomic technology for parentage analysis among horses.</p>.<p>ICAR Director General Trilochan Mohapatra, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Secretary Atul Chaturvedi, and ICAR Deputy Director General (Animal Science) Bhupendra Nath Tripathi were also present.</p>.<p>ICAR is the country's premier agri-research institute that functions under the Union Agriculture Ministry.</p>
<p>Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday launched the country's first homegrown Covid-19 vaccine Anocovax for animals, developed by Haryana-based ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (NRC).</p>.<p>Anocovax is an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Delta (Covid-19) vaccine for animals. The immunity induced by Anocovax neutralises both Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said in a statement.</p>.<p>The vaccine contains inactivated SARS-CoV-2 (Delta) antigen with Alhydrogel as an adjuvant. It is safe for dogs, lions, leopards, mice and rabbits, it added.</p>.<p>"It is due to the untiring contributions of scientists that the country stands self-reliant in developing its own vaccines more rather than importing. This is really a big achievement," Tomar said after the virtual launch of the Covid-19 vaccine and diagnostic kits for animals developed by the ICAR-NRC.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/covid-vaccine-3rd-dose-low-coverage-worries-experts-1116859.html" target="_blank">Covid vaccine 3rd dose: Low coverage worries experts</a></strong></p>.<p>Besides Anocovax, Tomar launched the 'CAN-CoV-2 ELISA kit' -- a sensitive and specific nucleocapsid protein-based indirect ELISA kit -- for antibody detection against SARS-CoV-2 in canines.</p>.<p>"There are no laboratory animals required for the preparation of the antigens. The kit is made in India and a patent has been filed for the same. No other comparable kits for detection of antibodies in canines are available in the market," the ICAR said.</p>.<p>Surra ELISA kit, a suitable diagnostic assay for 'Trypanosoma evansi' infection in multiple animal species, was also launched.</p>.<p>Surra is one of the most important haemoprotozoan diseases of the different livestock species caused by Trypanosoma evansi. The disease is prevalent in all the agro-climatic parts of India. In India, losses to livestock productivity were estimated to be Rs 44,740 million annually due to Surra, the ICAR noted.</p>.<p>The minister also launched the Equine DNA parentage testing kit, which is a powerful genomic technology for parentage analysis among horses.</p>.<p>ICAR Director General Trilochan Mohapatra, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Secretary Atul Chaturvedi, and ICAR Deputy Director General (Animal Science) Bhupendra Nath Tripathi were also present.</p>.<p>ICAR is the country's premier agri-research institute that functions under the Union Agriculture Ministry.</p>