26 Oxen Die at Rajanna Goshala in 5 Days
Of the 1,300 cattle housed in the goshala, 14 are currently unwell, with the condition of four calves reported as critical
KARIMNAGAR: Twenty-six calves have died over the past five days at the Vemulawada Temple Goshala in Thippapur village, with six deaths reported on Tuesday alone, according to district animal husbandry officer Dr V. Ravinder Reddy. He attributed the deaths to recent heavy rains and infection outbreaks.
Eight calves died on Friday, five on Saturday, three on Sunday, four on Monday and six on Tuesday. Of the 1,300 cattle housed in the goshala, 14 are currently unwell, with the condition of four calves reported as critical.
A team of expert veterinary doctors from the erstwhile Karimnagar district has been deployed to inspect the facility and provide medical care. The team observed that housing young and old cattle together in confined sheds with limited space may have contributed to the spread of infections.
Dr Reddy appealed to devotees of the Vemulawada Rajanna temple to donate calves only if they are older than 1.5 years, assuring that comprehensive health measures are in place to protect the cattle.
Responding to the situation, district collector Sandeep Kumar Jha has visited the goshala multiple times and issued instructions to improve conditions. The staff were directed to fill potholes, remove excess mud, and level the premises with gravel. Sanitation efforts have been intensified, and cleanliness within and around the goshala has been prioritised.
Measures have also been taken to provide nutritious feed and green fodder. Five veterinary teams have been deployed to monitor the health of the oxen around the clock and ensure timely medical attention. To address fodder shortages, the collector held discussions with contractors and increased the daily green fodder supply from one tractor load to ten tonnes, equivalent to five tractor loads.
