Deficient rainfall and drought in Hassan district have had repercussions on the livestock. Farmers are forced to sell their cattle to slaughterhouses as they cannot provide sufficient water and fodder for them. There has been an increase in sale of cattle at the weekly cattle fairs, even as the district administration is struggling to set up a fodder bank.
The State government has declared seven of eight taluks drought-hit. Supply of drinking water has been hit in many parts of the taluk and cattle are among the first victims of the drought. “Waterbodies have dried up. When getting drinking water for people is difficult, imagine the plight of animals. Farmers have no option but to sell them,” said Kanagal Murthy, a farmer at Dodda Kanagal village near Hassan. Officials of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department have also noticed an increase in the sale of cattle at weekly fairs. Shepherds from Chitradurga, Davangere and some north Karnataka districts usually take their sheep herds to the Malanad region hoping the animals get sufficient water and fodder. A group of shepherds from Dindavara village in Hiriyur taluk have been camping on the banks of the Hemavati backwaters near Shettihalli in Hassan taluk. Purushottam, one of the shepherds, told The Hindu , “We will spend a couple of days here, as sheep get sufficient water here. We will then move on,” he said.
Fodder management
As per latest statistics, the cattle population in the district is about 7.5 lakh. The department has the task of providing fodder for these animals. “We have prepared an action plan to counter drought. It includes setting up of goshalas at hobli centres and distributing 5-kg fodder mini kits to the farmers,” said C.T. Dharmappa, Deputy Director of the department. According to the officer, at present, there is no shortage of fodder. However, arrangements have to be made after two months. “We have been looking for fodder in neighbouring districts to form a fodder bank, but there isn’t sufficient stock,” he said.
