SAVAR: Local livestock authority asked people not to take beef following deaths of birds and domestic fowls after drinking the blood of a slaughtered cow at Dhamrai, as a precautionary prescription against a possible cattle disease.

In view of the situation, the Livestock Office in Savar Sunday started conducting vaccination for domestic animals in the area.

Upazila Livestock Officer Dr. Habibur Rahman told Banglanews, “We advised the villagers not to eat beef”.

Deputy Director of Dhaka Divisional Livestock Division Dr Mosaddek Hossain, Director Dr Pravat Chandra Tarafder, and District Livestock Officer Dr Mohammad Ali visited the spot on Saturday evening and advised the locals not to get panicked.

They also directed the local authority not to allow people and even any animals and birds to come to the spot where the animal was slaughtered.

Dr Mosaddek Hossain said, “We have collected sample from the spot and it will be sent to the Institute of Epidemiology and Disease Control and Research (IEDCR). After getting result we will be able to say about the cause of the birds’ death.”

District Livestock Officer Dr Mohammad Ali said, “Local people are in fear about anthrax but actually it was not anthrax.”

Earlier on Saturday morning, a few birds like domestic ducks, hens and pigeons died drinking the blood of the cow slaughtered at Dhamrai for eid feasting.

As a result, tension spread among the commoners of the areas.

Sources said none of the buyers of the cow took the meat following the incident.

Many locals became nervous presuming it as an outbreak of anthrax, a deadly animal disease that also transmits into humans, erupted in a few areas in the country. 

BDST: 1532 HRS, SEPT 12, 2010