As monsoon showers continued to hit the Hyderabad city, the fear of ‘Foot and Mouth Disease’ outburst among the cattle entrenched further since animals brought to the city for sale were found dead ahead of the festive season of Eid-ul-Adha which is scheduled to be celebrated on Sunday.
The highly contagious livestock disease – also known as FMD, was proved to be lethal among all the diseases that affect the cattle. It is mainly found in livestock and affects cloven-hoofed animals with divided hoofs that include buffalo, sheep, goats and camels etc. It draws serious health complications among the cattle especially during the rainy season and often kills the animals leaving no much time for the treatment.
It spreads rapidly by direct or indirect transmissions affecting animals especially having high temperature and develops blisters in mouth and foot of the cattle. It was found less severe in cattle like sheep and goats but proved fatal for other animals especially at their young if not the adults. Affected cattle found with growing severe pain and distress that may leave them permanently lame and brought down the productivity of the recovered animals.
During the last three days the city is witnessing monsoon showers while a herd of cattle is being flocked to the city for sale due to the festive season of Eid-ul-Adha. “Cattle, in the city, may have been getting affected with ‘Foot and Mouth Disease’ due to recurrent showers. At several locations in the city, cattle were found dead and discarded in dumping yards, purportedly due to suspected illness which may again draw the point towards the possible attack of foot and mouth disease among the cattle,” argued Syed Iftekhar Hussaini, a city based community activist.
“People, who brought the cattle for sale are least found taking care of the animal’s health as most of the animals heard in the city were found kept under open plots and without any safety measures like proper shed to keep the cattle safe from showers while regular sanitation was also found missing. This unwholesome state of affairs may lead to outbreak of several diseases among the cattle,” felt Syed Should Ali, a senior resident of Shastripuram, the area that turned into cattle market during Eid-ul-Adha festival.
