RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government will start livestock counting in all the 36 districts, including Rawalpindi, on Saturday (today).

“In Rawalpindi, arrangements have been completed to launch the livestock counting and teams formed to visit door-to-door in all the villages of the seven tehsils - Rawalpindi, Gujar Khan, Taxila, Murree, Kahuta, Kotli Sattian and Kalar Syedan,” Livestock Department Deputy Director Dr Arshad Latif told.

He said the exercise would help the department prepare a plan for vaccination and breeding purposes. “The head counting will enable the department to get data on different breeds of cows, buffaloes, sheep, bulls and goats. On the basis of the information, we will educate farmers on how to enhance milk production.”

The official said problems occurred when farmers did not register their cattle with the department and the veterinary doctors failed to carry out vaccination and provide information to the farmers.

Distribution of goats

The livestock department official said after the distribution of 400 cows and buffaloes among deserving women in the district, the government would start the distribution of goats and sheep in three tehsils of Rawalpindi.

“As many as 11,000 goats and sheep will be distributed among women in Murree, Kotli Sattian and Kahuta from next month,” he said.

Collection of data will help prepare a plan for vaccination and breeding purposes, says official

He said the agriculture department had prepared lists of widows who would get goats and sheep and earn livelihoods by selling the milk.

“Under the criteria, widows whose children are school going and they have no source of income would be given two goats or sheep free of cost.” He said the lists were prepared after inviting applications form deserving women at the union council level.

Earlier, he said, the government had allocated a quota of 400 milch animals for free distribution among widows in the district.

Death of cows

When asked about the death of over 50 cows in a village of Paryal Union Council 98 in Rawalpindi, the deputy director said a team of veterinary doctors along with a mobile clinic visited the area and found no disease among the animals. He said mostly the cows had died a natural death.

“My cow fell sick and died three days later. Same was the case with the animals of other farmers in the village,” said Mohammad Fayyaz.

He confirmed that a team from the livestock department visited the village and found no disease among the animals.

The livestock department official said the examination of blood samples from the cows showed that they had died a natural death. He said farmers should provide improved fodder to animals in order to strengthen their immune system.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2017