5 cows die, 7 taken ill in Moga gaushala

Tribune News Service

Moga, July 9

Five cows have died and seven others fell ill because of “acute acidosis” and food poisoning at a “gaushala” on the outskirts of Demru village of the district, said Animal Husbandry Department Deputy Director Gurmeet Singh here today.

Those working in the “gaushala” said they had brought a mixture of cooked rice and wheat, and other food items from a “gaushala” at Pangarain village and served it to the cows yesterday.

After eating the food items, one of the cows died yesterday night while four others died today. Villagers called veterinary doctors, who declared five animals dead and began the treatment of ill animals.

“Prima facie, it is a case of acute acidosis. The animals were given rotten mixture of food items without mixing it with fodder. It became acidic in the body, leading to their death,” Gurmeet Singh said.

The “gaushala” have 45 cows and calves, its management said.

Preliminary investigation of the police brought out that a truckload of a mixture of food left over had come from Malerkotla. The donors often send food items to “gaushalas”; therefore, one could not suspect any foul play.

Gurmeet Singh said, “The ‘gaushala’ was opened a few months ago. The workers did not have knowledge on how to tend to animals. The mixture of food items should not have been served directly. Instead, it should have been mixed with fodder. The same mixture was served at Panjgrain ‘gaushala’ and nothing happened there.”