Cattle affected by Malta fever to be euthanized

THRISSUR: The Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) authorities on Wednesday decided to subject the Malta fever- affected cattle at the farm at Thiruvazhamkunnu to euthanasia and dispose the bodies through deep burial there itself. The registrar of KVASU Dr Joseph Mathew said the decision was taken at a meeting of various university experts in the management of such animal ailments, held at the university camp office at College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (CoVAS), Mannuthy near here.
He said steps would be taken to allay the fears of the people of the area considering that Malta fever is a zoonotic disease. Discussions will be held with the people's representatives in the area for taking them into confidence, before launching the euthanasia procedure, Dr Mathew said. Internationally accepted protocols would be adopted for putting to sleep of the affected cattle, as well as for disposing the carcasses, he added.
According to the experts the bacteria which causes the Malta fever gets destroyed within a few days of the death of the infected animal. But even then, the bodies would be deep buried by covering them with lime, to avert leeching. According to the registrar out of the 350 animals at the farm of the KVASU's livestock research station at Thiruvazhamkunnu, 90 are confirmed to be suffering from Malta fever or Brucellosis.
The earlier plan was to the transport the animals to the CoVAS, Mannuthy for subjecting them to euthanasia and process their bodies at the rendering plant there. Though the AWBI had also given sanction for this, it was withdrawn following objections from some animal lovers, who said transportation of sick animals would be harmful to them, the experts said.