Steroids being used for fattening cattle in Magura

MAGURA, Oct 7: A section of unscrupulous cattle farmers and traders are allegedly feeding their cattle Indian made steroid hormones to fatten up the sacrificial animals ahead of the holy Eid-ul-Azha in Magura.

These farmers and traders feeding their cattle steroid hormones for fattening the animals in disregard of the hazards being posed to human health.

Local livestock officials said that a number of greedy cattle farmers are allegedly using human drugs like Periactin Vita, Oradexon and Decason tablets belonging to dexa-methasone group, a kind of steroid, for rapid fattening of the sacrificial animals in short days before the Eid as they are out to earn windfall profit from cattle business during this time.

As a result, these cattle are being infected with various diseases. If people consume the meat of the affected cattle, they will also be infected with various diseases, the experts warned

The banned steroid tablets are now being sold openly at the drug stores and grocery shops in Magura Sadar, Muhammadpur, Sripur and Shalikha upazila sadars. Shopkeeprs term these tablets as `red-white` pills.

The cattle owners said they fed their animals such tablets after hearing from people. Though the cattle became somewhat weak initially, they became fat subsequently. After one to two months, those cattle were sold.

They said they follow the method as it is cheaper and easier.

Dr Kanai Lal Sharnaker, the district livestock officer, said the cattle`s kidneys and liver don`t function properly if these drugs are fed them. As a result, water cannot pass from their bodies. Subsequently, water enters the meat of the cattle and the animals are looked fat.

Under the fattening method, a number of 20-25 tablets are fed to cattle and it creates unusual pressure on the kidney and different organs---the drug slowly affect the normal circulation of urine of the animal, he said, adding that within few days the cattle looks fat when the urine comes to its whole body.

About scientific cattle fattening method, livestock official said the cattle is to feed right proportion of urea, molasses and straw (UMS) daily for about three months.

On the other hand, the rapid method of cattle fattening even may cause death of the animal within 20-25 days after giving the drug, said he said.

He said, "the high dose of such harmful drugs also affect several internal organs of the animal and ultimately the animal fails to response the normal treatment."

 

risingbd/sza