'Spoilt food makes stray cattle sick'

Stray cows and bulls are falling sick within city limits after being hand-fed spoilt food and rice by local residents, said experts.

Tauseef Ahmed, who is actively involved in rescuing animals in Mangaluru for a decade said that if food is not right for human consumption, it is bad for animals too. “Rice and maida are not good for cattle,” he stressed.

Tauseef said that one bowl of rice might not harm a cow. But when everybody feeds rice and maida, it makes cattle sick and immobile. They suffer from Methane poisoning,” he observed.

Tauseef said that after one or two hours of intense suffering, the cow dies; just as it happened in Babugudda recently. Tauseef and his team tried their best to save the cow, but it succumbed.

“Even medicine becomes ineffective beyond a point,” he said.

What to feed?

“Fruits and vegetables are good for cattle. Cauliflower and leafy vegetables like cabbage are good. ‘Hindi’ powder-- cattle fodder mixed with water-- is the best diet for cattle,” he added.

But cows need to be fed only when they’re too old or helpless. Cows are naturally programmed to forage, graze and eat. “Even if we do not feed them it is okay. But feeding them unpalatable things is a crime,” he emphasised.

He stressed that it was vital to inform animal rescuers when stray cattle fall sick.

“The one that died in Babugudda suffered all night. Rescuers were informed about the cow in the morning. It was too late by then. Veterinary doctors usually do not attend to stray cattle cases. So it is pointless to call vets,” he remarked.

Typical signs

Typical signs to watch out for in sick cattle is a swollen stomach, inability to get up and frothing in the mouth.

“People don’t dispose of plastic safely. And cows eat plastic and die of indigestion,” he pointed out. He added that the government must take measures to protect stray cattle.