The livestock deaths in the district have reached an alarming state since the past one month, with no less than hundred deaths per day, while similar number of animals being sold per day, primarily due to lack of fodder and water.
With the district facing severe drought conditions for the past six consecutive years, fodder availability has become almost negligible. This is forcing farmers to sell their animals.
“Despite all my efforts, I could not arrange adequate fodder or water for my cows. They had become very weak and none, except slaughter houses, was prepared to buy them. Left with no other option, I have sold off two cows, which were provided by bank under loan,” said Siviah, a farmer who owns 12 acres in Maddelacheruvu under Rapthadu Assembly constituency.
Livestock census
Estimation says close to 10 per cent of the total bovine (cows, oxen and buffaloes) population of the district has been sold at animal markets and more than half of those end up reaching slaughter houses located along the border in Karnataka and Kerala. According to the livestock census conducted in 2007, total bovine population (calves, cows, oxen and buffaloes) of the district stood at 15.6 lakh, while total livestock population (domesticated animals, excluding dogs, poultry and other animals such as donkeys) was put at more than 55 lakh.
Another study conducted in 2012, close to 1.5 lakh animals were sold at various animal markets (pasuvula santa in local parlance) in the district in that year, which is around 10 per cent of the total bovine population.
No mechanism
Animal Husbandry Department does not have any mechanism to keep a record of the animals sold to slaughter houses.
However, the sale, according to the records of Anantapur animal market yard, it is more than 30,000 animals per year.
