NILGIRIS: After conducting an investigation into the death of 11 cows in and around Masinagudi in the last one month in the district, the Animal husbandry department on Monday said the animals did not die of starvation but due to malnutrition also known as Downer Cow Syndrome (DCS).
According to sources, though many people in Masinagudi rear native cows, the owners allegedly failed to provide adequate green fodder to the cattle, resulting in the death of even young cows. Based on media reports about the deaths, the animal husbandry department officials held an investigation recently.
Sources said the officials found the animals had become very weak before they died. The owners left the carcasses in an abandoned quarry and did not inform officials.
Speaking to TNIE S Sathianarayanan, Regional Joint Director of Animal Husbandry, Nilgiris, "The reason for the deaths is DCS which is due to low levels of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. This is due to the improper care given to the cows by their owners. Usually, cows eat fodder to their full stomach. However in the last one more month, they consumed less and fodder that lacked nutrients which affect the diet balance."
He said, as per the direction of Collector M Aruna, the department has procured ten tonnes of green fodder and ten tonnes of dry fodder from Exotic Cattle Breeding Farm, Eachankottai in Thanjavur and brought ito Masinagudi on Monday.
"More than 170 cattle owners in the surroundings of Masinagudi and Vazhaithottam received green fodder and dry fodder along with one kg of mixture on Monday. We will be handing over similar quantity of green fodder and dry fodder to cattle owners in the surroundings of Moyar on Wednesday," he said.
"The death of cows could have happened a month ago and we identified only light skin and skeleton (bones were dried) remains of the cows as flesh were eaten by vultures and other wild animals. We informed the Panchayat and burnt the carcasses," said the official.