Live alone or die, these cows left with no options

Kolar: There is an outbreak in Kolar district as a large number of cows have contracted Brucellosis, a highly contagious disease.

The Animal Husbandry department screened the 998 cattle, including 258 cows for Brucellosis and tested 258 cows positive for Brucella abortus bacterium.

“We have been screening the animals for Brucellosis for the past one year and 258 cows tested positive. We have ordered culling of these cows and directed farm owners to bury the carcasses deep in the soil to prevent contamination,” S Channakeshava, Animal husbandry Department’s Deputy Director (Kolar) told Times Of India.

Also known as `contagious abortion’and ‘bangs disease’, Brucellosis spreads from the vaginal discharge of an infected cow or from an aborted foetus.

No treatment is available and the disease poses a major risk and cause undulant fever among humans who consume milk or other products from the infected cows.

This animal-borne disease can be easily transmitted to humans and causes various ealth disorders, including joint pain, high fever and impotency.

Sources in the animal husbandry department said, some cows were either sold to local farmers in the region or sent to slaughter houses.