Outbreak of an unknown disease has killed 10 cattle in Philooma Chiwog of Orong Gewog under Samdrup Jongkhar Dzongkhag.
The villagers say the cattle were hyper-salivating and suffering from fever before they succumbed to the unknown disease.
Some villagers had informed the Gewog Livestock Officer about the outbreak however they say the officer did not even bother to come and investigate.
“After I informed the officer that one of my cattle is dead and the other one is dying, they sent some medicine. But it did not work,” said Cheku Wangdi of Philooma.
The villagers say they have experienced such outbreak before.
Tshering Norbu from Upper Philooma said they thought by this time the animal health worker would have solved the problem.
“Our cattle are falling down suddenly and dying on the spot,” said Jambay Lhamo from Upper Philooma.
On the other hand, the Gewog Livestock Officer of Orong Gewog, Chetan Chedup says they received the information only later. “We have provided them some medicine,” he said.
He said they first got to know about it on January 24. The second information came on February 6 when he and his colleague were out of station.
The officer also said they have not been able to decipher what the disease is. “I cannot really say what the disease is; it has to be checked by a doctor.”
Dead cattle are supposed to be buried, according to the livestock officer. However, BBS found out while some have, others haven’t. Instead, they have consumed the meat from the dead cattle.
“We consumed the meat ourselves. I did not distribute or sell it to anyone,” said Tshering Norbu of Upper Philooma.
Another villager from Upper Philooma, Cheki said she sold all the meat from the carcasses.
The Gewog Livestock Officer said the disease is spreading through the distribution of meat from the carcasses. “Villagers do not inform us when cattle die thinking that they would not get to take any meat.” Because, he said, as soon as they get the information they ask the villagers to bury the animal.
