The Karnataka government has ordered the culling of 49 cows infected with Brucellosis disease in a farm owned by MLA Varthur Prakash in Kolar.
The New Indian Express reports that 49 cows in Rakshit farm were found to be infected, following which, Animal Husbandry Minister A Manju ordered the culling of the cows on Sunday.
The matter was reportedly brought to notice after some political activists raised alarm over the supply of milk from infected cows to a local milk producers’ cooperative society from the MLA's farm.
They accused the MLA of trying to sell off the infected cows to farmers and sending them to slaughter houses.
Milk from an infected cow could pose health hazards to humans, including fever and impotency, reports say.
Animal husbandry department's deputy director (Kolar) S Channakeshava told TOI, “We have been screening the animals for Brucellosis for the past one year and 258 cows tested positive. We have ordered culling of these cows and directed farm owners to bury the carcasses deep in the soil to prevent contamination.”
However, the MLA maintained that all the animals on his farm were healthy.
Brucellosis disease can be easily transmitted to humans who come in close contact with the infected animals.