Death of cattle due to FMD leaves dairy farmers reeling

Ramanagara: More than 50 hybrid cattle died within a fortnight in the district owing to foot mouth disease (FMD). The State veterinary department vaccinates cattle against the disease every six months.

But the vaccination has been delayed owing to the lockdown since a year. The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) has sufficient funds to provide vaccines. Thousands of small and marginal farmers in district

depend on dairy farming for livelihood.

Each hybrid buffalo costs more than Rs 50,000. And the death of even one buffalo means complete ruin of a small farmer as there are no alternative livelihood sources due to the Covid pandemic.

Speaking to The Hans India, Bangalore Milk Producers Cooperative Union (BAMUL) former president K Nagaraju said that KMF has sufficient funds for vaccination to control FMD. He blamed the death of cattle on the negligence of officials. The FMD will spread rapidly in the district if the government does not control itimmediately. He said an FMD infected buffalo yields just two liters of milk instead of 10 liters. This means a huge loss to farmers. The Ramanagara taluk has more than 50 thousand cattle and farmers are in fear of losing their sole livelihood source.