Cattle farmers demand free veterinary camps

Say heavy rains threaten livestock across Sindh, require urgent treatment

KARACHI:

Cattle farmers are appealing to the government to establish free veterinary camps for rain-affected animals across Sindh. They stress that animals require urgent medical treatment and vaccination against various diseases, while rural farmers, burdened by poverty, cannot afford the high transportation costs to reach far-off public veterinary facilities.

Heavy and unusual monsoon rains have recently affected all districts of Sindh, resulting in the spread of diseases that threaten livestock across the province. Senior Vice President of the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA), Nabi Bux Sathio, has called for the establishment of free veterinary camps in every union council. He noted that the Sindh Livestock Department has ample funds allocated to provide free medical treatment and vaccinations to both sick and healthy animals.

Sathio also urged the government to investigate the millions of rupees provided by international donors, such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, during the devastating floods of 2010. These funds were intended to support livestock care, but Sathio pointed out that the promised veterinary dispensaries in union councils across Sindh are still not operational.

Due to the high cost of transportation, many cattle farmers are unable to take their animals to government veterinary facilities. As a result, Sathio stressed the need for the government to ensure these services are available in villages.

Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) has been commended for its efforts to provide medical treatment to rain-affected animals by setting up free veterinary camps. Professor Dr Allah Bux Kachiwal, Chairman of the Sindh Veterinary Medical Board and SAU's Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, warned that once the accumulated rainwater recedes, contagious diseases could spread rapidly in rural areas. He pointed out the need for preemptive measures to protect livestock, particularly as hundreds of thousands of animals remain in vulnerable conditions.

During and after the monsoon season, contagious diseases can easily infect both small and large animals, including goats, sheep, cows, and buffaloes. Among the most dangerous diseases are anthrax, foot-and-mouth disease, septicemia, and black quarter. These diseases can spread quickly, making early intervention crucial.

In response to this growing crisis, SAU, in collaboration with the Sindh Livestock Department, has set up a veterinary camp to treat rain-hit animals. SAU consultants are providing medical treatment and vaccinations to livestock within a 40-kilometer radius of the university, with the Livestock Department supplying free veterinary medicines and injections.