Provincial government orders disposition of Australian sheep

The government has ordered to cull a consignment of 21,000 sheep after authorities declared they are diseased.

According to the media reports, the sheep were sent from Australia to Bahrain but were rejected earlier this month on the grounds some had scabby mouth disease.

In the latter stage, Pakistan accepted the sheep and it was first reported that a small number of diseased sheep were to be destroyed.

However, the provincial government decided to destroy all sheep after reports from a second laboratory also confirmed that the animals were diseased.

Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh of the livestock department while speaking to the media said, “We have culled about 150 sheep so far. The step has been taken after the animals were found suffering from highly contagious diseases. Infections could spread in our environment if the animals were allowed to live”.

In his view, the Australian sheep were being buried in a 15-foot deep ditch after being slaughtered.

According to the second report submitted by the Tandojam Central Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, the animals had got foot-and-mouth disease, besides having bacterial infection as had earlier been indicated in a lab report by the Sindh Poultry Vaccine Centre.

Provincial Livestock and Fisheries Secretary Syed Abid Ali Shah observed, “There is no option left but to cull all animals in public interest because two laboratory reports have confirmed that they are diseased. Preparations are under way for the culling that will begin soon”.

He also stated that the sheep were also infected with an exotic virus, adding that these animals were a great risk to public health because they don’t have this virus in their environment.

He noted, “The spread of new viruses is a major health hazard across the world which is why developed countries have stringent rules and regulations to protect their environment”.

Earlier, the authorities in Bahrain rejected the shipment from the Wellard Rural Exports on account of the animals’ sickness.

According to media reports, the consignment was brought to Karachi instead of being taken back to Australia.

It was bought here by a meat company and the sheep were being kept at its farms in Razzakabad area of Malir with other animals meant for slaughter.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Sep 17 2012. Filed under Pakistan, Society. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.