Enteritis infection and respiratory illness led to the deaths of poultry and livestock at four tribal settlements near Aliyar in Coimbatore, according to officials with the Department of Animal Husbandry.
The Department on Thursday conducted special camps at two tribal settlements and distributed medicines, following a report in The Hindu on the poultry and livestock deaths.
Saravana Kumar, veterinary officer in charge of the veterinary dispensary at Malayandipattinam, said the camps were conducted at Nellithurai Mannam settlement where nearly 100 hens died and at Panthakkaal Amman Pathi where four goats and around 80 hens died last week.
“The affected animals were given injections. We have handed over antibiotics, disinfection solution and deworming drugs to the residents, to be given to the poultry and livestock,” he said. Similar livestock and poultry deaths were also reported in two other settlements, namely Merkku Parai Medu and J.J. Nagar. In total, nearly 300 hens and eight goats died in the disease spread.
According to veterinarians, the natural viral load in forest soil, which increases after rains, could have affected the poultry and livestock as they are left in open areas.
