Toxic fodder causing cow deaths, humans too at risk

Aman Sood
Tribune News Service
Patiala, February 21

In May last year, the death toll of cows at a dairy farm in Malerkotla allegedly due to consumption of rotten fodder rose to 34. A probe was ordered.

Next month, more than 110 head of cattle in Kandela village of Mohali district died of alleged food poisoning. An investigation was marked.

In September, more than two dozen cows were declared dead because of poisoned fooder at a cow shelter in Rajpura. The probe suggested that the fodder had high nitrate content which caused deaths.

These incidents should have set alarm bells ringing in Punjab, but no one has been held responsible for the crime to date.

In the past two years, more than 250 bulls and cows died in cow shelters and “gaushalas” across the state. Reason: toxic fodder supplied by farmers who used pesticides beyond the permissible limit to grow fodder and aflatoxin contamination of the feed.

Milk produced by affected cows can cause cancer and liver ailments in humans, leading to deaths.

A few years ago, the state government had asked NGOs and private players by to run “gaushalas”, and directed civic bodies to supply food for the cattle. The supply of green fodder, however, was outsourced to farmers. Some months later, many cow deaths were reported.

Instead of inquiring into the matter, the government buckled under pressure of “gausewaks” and handed them the reins of “gaushalas”. The deaths, however, did not stop.

A veterinary officer said, “Several probes into recent deaths were ordered and completed, but none held farmers or fodder contractors responsible for giving poisoned feed to cows.”