Q.(a) Tabulate the diseases which are spread easily in cattle. OR

(a) Cattle are vulnerable to several easily-spread infectious diseases. (b) Biodiversity conservation matters for ecological, economic and ethical reasons and is pursued through in-situ and ex-situ strategies.

(a) Among the diseases that spread readily in cattle populations: Foot-and-Mouth Disease is a highly contagious viral illness causing fever and blisters in the mouth and feet, spreading rapidly within a herd and across farms; Anthrax, caused by Bacillus anthracis, can spread via contaminated soil/feed and is also a serious zoonosis; Rinderpest was a historically catastrophic viral cattle plague (now eradicated globally through vaccination); Mastitis is a bacterial udder infection that reduces milk yield and quality and can spread within a herd through unhygienic milking practices; and Brucellosis is a bacterial disease that causes abortion in cattle and can also infect humans handling infected animals or their milk. (b) India is one of the world's recognised biodiversity 'megadiverse' countries, and conserving that biodiversity is essential because ecosystems built on diverse species provide services we depend on — pollination, clean water and air, fertile soil, climate regulation — and because countless species are direct sources of food, medicines and industrial raw materials, many still undiscovered. There is also a strong ethical case (every species has intrinsic value and a right to exist) and an aesthetic/option value (biodiversity underpins tourism, culture, and unknown future benefits from species not yet studied). To protect this biodiversity, India relies on in-situ conservation — protecting species within their natur …