Dharakote: As many as 42 cattle heads were reported dead Saturday in villages under Dharakote block of Ganjam district after allegedly being exposed to rain and cold during the cyclonic storm Phethai.
Tehsildar Gadadhar Patra has confirmed the development. The deaths of the livestock were reported from Singhpur, Jharpal, Dharakote and Odahata villages.
Veterinarians suspect that the animals might have died of pneumonia after being exposed to incessant rain triggered by the cyclone.
On being informed, veterinarian Manas Ranjan Polai visited the villages, administered treatment to the livestock and collected reports about the dead cattle. The samples of the carcasses were also collected for clinical examination to ascertain the exact cause of the casualties, he said.
“The animals might have died of pneumonia as they were exposed to heavy rain and chilly weather under the open sky during the cyclone,” Polai said. This happened as the villagers left their cattle in the open due to lack of cattle sheds.
The carcasses were buried after post-mortem. The district has been witnessing serial death of cattle in different places during the last three days after unseasonal rain lashed the region during the cyclone.
PNN