45 sheep die of poisoning after grazing in Walwa; vets save 112

Walwa: Forty-five sheep died of poisoning after being taken to graze within Walwa limits near the Navekhed-Walwa road on Friday evening, October 9. An animal husbandry department team rushed to the spot and treated the flock until midnight, saving 112 sheep. Four shepherds have suffered losses running into lakhs of rupees.

The sheep had been penned in a field in Borgaon. On Friday they were taken to graze within Walwa limits, where they ate shoots of hybrid jowar (sorghum) growing in a field. In the evening, as they were being taken back towards Borgaon along the Walwa-Navekhed road, the sheep suddenly began collapsing on the road in distress.

A team of vets led by district animal husbandry deputy commissioner Dr Thore, with assistant commissioners Dr Rajeev Chandanshive and Khalikar, kept treating the animals by the light of torches and mobile phone flashes. Twenty-seven sheep died before treatment began and 18 after, while 112 recovered.

MLA Sadabhau Khot, sub-divisional officer Shrinivas Arjun, tahsildar Sarika Raskar and zilla parishad member Santaji Metkari visited the spot and reassured the shepherds.

Source: Pudhari