The Animal Husbandry Department on Monday got an additional stock of 13 essential life-saving drugs for treating livestock in distress after the recent series of natural calamities in north Kerala. The drugs will be supplied to various veterinary hospitals in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Malappuram districts.
Though there is no acute shortage of medicines at present in any of the veterinary hospitals, officials hope that the additional stock despatched from Hyderabad will be an advantage for meeting long-term requirements. The department is also planning to conduct panchayat-level medical check-up camps for domestic animals and the medicines will be useful for many, they point out.
“A veterinary hospital at Madavoor had lost all the medicines in the floods. That can be overcome with the new stock. There are several such locations in need of fresh stock,” says District Animal Husbandry Officer A.C. Mohandas. “We have also been assured quick response in case of noticing any special requirement for rural veterinary hospitals.”
As the shortage of cattle feed is the biggest challenge for farmers after the calamities, efforts are on to source the support of willing sponsors to get the required stock from neighbouring States. Officials say feed now being manufactured in various parts of Kerala is hardly sufficient to meet the demand. Hundreds of dairy farmers in Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Kannur districts have lost their reserved stock and they will be able to tide over the crisis only with others’ support, they say.
The exclusive 24x7 helpline (0495272050) opened by the department to attend emergency medical calls can also be used for offering sponsorship to farmers. At present, emergency requirements are being attended by veterinary surgeons and other department staff themselves using their own money.
“They are badly in need of help, especially the dairy farmers in Wayanad district. If sponsors are willing, the department can easily coordinate it with the support of grama panchayats and veterinary surgeons,” says Dr. Mohandas. Such support would also help us gradually overcome the huge fall in milk production, he adds.
