RAMANATHAPURAM: Suspected overdose of vaccination of sheep, affected by ‘sheep pox,’ a contagious disease caused by poxvirus and alleged ‘goof-up’ by Animal Husbandry Department staff are said to be the reasons for the death of about 130 sheep at Kazhugoorani near here.
Two weeks after the vaccine was administered to herds of sheep, owned by the family of M. Mangalasamy on December 8, they started dropping dead from December 17, and 130 animals have died so far. The shepherd is clueless about how to save the remaining 200 sheep.
Mr. Mangalasamy said the family, which owned a large number of sheep, was engaged in sheep rearing for more than three decades. He had administered the vaccine for the first time as the animals showed symptoms of fever, ocular and nasal discharge, little realising that it would turn fatal, he said.
Alleging ‘goof-up,’ he blamed the authorities at Government Veterinary Dispensary at Uchipuli for the deaths, but P. Mohan, Joint Director, Animal Husbandry, faulted him for buying the vaccine from a private shop and forcing the compounder to administer the vaccine without the knowledge of the Assistant Veterinary Surgeon posted at the dispensary.
Mr. Mohan said when Mr. Mangalasamy visited the dispensary, the Assistant Veterinary Surgeon sent him back, stating that there was no vaccine stock. The shepherd, however, took the compounder with him to administer the vaccine, he said.
Mr. Malaisamy, however, said after the surgeon suggested that the vaccine had to be procured from outside, he paid Rs. 2,400, and Marimuthu, the compounder, bought the vaccine from a private medical shop and administered it.
“More than 350 sheep were vaccinated and we have so far lost 130,” he said, adding on Thursday alone, 25 animals died. He had already petitioned the Collector, urging him to order an enquiry into the suspected ‘goof-up’ and secure him compensation from the government.
Mr. Mohan said the department had recorded only 16 deaths and launched a vaccination drive in and around Kazhugoorani on Friday. The department had procured 3,000 units of the vaccine and vaccination, covering 3,000 animals, would be completed in two days, he added.
He said Animal Disease Intelligence unit from Sivaganga examined the ill animals and the lungs, spleen and liver of the dead animals and blood samples of ill animals had been sent to Central Referral Laboratory, Ranipet, for analysis. The test results were awaited, he added.
