Livestock plays a momentous role in a country’s economy especially in a developing nation like India, where livelihoods of about 20.5 million people depend upon livestock and its allied sectors, suggesting that about two-third of the rural community is involved (Annual Report, 2018). The small ruminants like sheep and goat provide main source of income for many economically poor people, especially marginal and landless farmers. Similarly the role of these livestock to various pastoral communities cannot be ignored. So whenever there is a disease outbreak, the burden of huge economic loss falls on these poor livestock keepers. The traditional methods of disease management involve either treatment with antibiotics or vaccination for prevention of diseases. However, the indiscriminate use of these antibiotics has lead to antibiotic-resistant pathogens and likewise it is extremely difficult to develop vaccines against a wide range of pathogens that are frequently mutating and are caused by multi etiological factors. Hence, considering all these factors breeding of disease resistant animals becomes a top priority in this changing world. The literature is filled with references of indigenous animals and poultry being resistant to many diseases. Keeping this in view, the current review has been written to highlight sustainable and feasible methods for breeding them for disease resistance.

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Duck plague is an economically devastating viral disease prevalent in ducks which causes massive loss of duck populations annually. High morbidity and mortality are characteristic of the infection and outbreaks. Duck plague is reported from time to time from different parts of our country including Assam. The infected ducks manifest clinical signs like photophobia, partially or completely closing of eyelids, excessive thirst, nasal discharge, anorexia, drooped plumage, ataxia, diarrhea with soiled vents along with tremors in the head, neck and body. Present study was aimed to evaluate the deleterious effects of duck plague virus on liver and kidney condition by estimating liver and kidney specific biomarkers from indigenous ducks, namely Pati, Nageswari and Cinahanh of Assam from different agroclimatic zones. Study revealed significant increase of AST, ALT, ALP, uric acid and creatinine which is indicative of disruption of healthy function of liver and Kidney due to duck plague virus infection.