KARACHI: Poisonous feed killing hundreds of cattle
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Nov 25: Local vets have failed to identify and contain the spread of the poison, which has claimed lives of hundreds of cattle in Landhi during the last couple of days, particularly in the absence of a feed testing laboratory in the province under the Sindh government livestock department.
A large number of cattle, mostly buffaloes, have died while several others who had fallen ill after consuming some poisonous feed were slaughtered in Cattle Colony, the city’s main source of milk and meat supplies.
Conservative estimates put the death toll at three hundred and the number of ailing animals at thousand while the local veterinary doctors felt handicapped to properly check the feed in the absence of a laboratory. However, the vets have identified paralysis, severe constipation, heavy salivation, shivering with absolute no more intake since the consumption of poisonous feed as some of the major complaints.
Confirming the deaths in the colony, the in-charge of Government Veterinary Hospital, Cattle Colony, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, said that about eight to 10 big and small cattle pens had been affected.
About the reasons for the increasing number of deaths, he said that the death toll had risen mainly because there was no feed testing laboratory in Cattle Colony or anywhere else in the province under the livestock department. “If we can’t identify the poison, how can we prescribe the right medicine,” he said.
He said: “My team has been visiting cattle pens for two days as complaints continue to pour in. Farmers were scared when they found their animals dead in the morning while those at the neigbouring farms rushed to us as soon as they saw the condition of their animals deteriorating.” Nearly thousand animals were found ill, he said, adding that his team was trying hard to save the animals by administering them with anti-poison injections.
“Standardised animal feed at subsidised rates is a major issue causing persistent rise in milk and meat prices that has been overlooked by the government. There is no check on the quality and prices of animal feed here which is the reason for the poor health of animals that eventually causes losses to farmers and increases milk and meat prices. Milk industry needs government investment in terms of a proper infrastructure which in turn will benefit consumers at large,” he said.
He further said that Sindh Animal Husbandry Director Dr Ghulam Sarwar Shaikh had sent a medical team comprising senior vets and research officers which had just reached in Cattle Colony from Hyderabad.
When asked about the exact death count, the senior veterinarian said that he wasn’t sure because many affected farmers were opting for immediate slaughter of the animals instead of asking for their medical treatment, but it would be around 200 at least. However, some affected farmers disputed the official claim, putting the death toll between 400 and 500.
Losses in millions
“The deaths are in hundreds and the losses in millions since those who have apparently survived the poisonous attack will eventually be slaughtered because they will not be able to produce milk,” said Karachi Dairy Farmers Association President Haji Sikandar.
About the animal feed, he said that small farmers couldn’t afford the specialised feed mostly so they bought stale bread and bran and use them as animals feed after mixing it with other stuff.
“Our animals every now and then have stomach problems because of the fungus in stale bread. But, the health of animals has never deteriorated as much as it was this time. It appeared that the animal feed had traces of some toxic substance,” he said.
The association’s president said that there were many outlets selling cheap animal feed in the colony though in this case all the affected farmers had bought the feed from the same shop. He said, “We have talked to the shop owner. He was apologetic. He told us that his animals, too, were lying ill and some of them had also died,” added Mr Sikandar.
Mohammad Mansha, who found his 12 animals dead and 100 others ill, said he had no hope that his animals would recover and he had no option but to slaughter them. “They all have stopped eating and are lying paralysed on the floor,” he said, adding that he had bought them for Rs60,000 to Rs70,000 each.
The affected dairy farmers have appealed to the government to compensate them for the losses and set up a body which can support them in times of calamity.
