Scientists from the Indian Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, on Thursday visited the cattle farm of student farmer Kizhakkeparapil Mathew Benny, who lost 13 cows due to ingestion of toxins on Sunday night.
Led by the institute’s principal scientist, the team interacted with Benny’s family members and inspected the cattle shed and house premises and collected samples of tapioca hull for analysis.
The team also inspected a tapioca drying unit from where the family collected tapioca hull for cattle. Officials gathered details from unit officials and collected samples. The results of sample analysis will be available within a week.
Nisanth M. Prabha, public relations officer, Animal Husbandry department, Idukki, said sample tests of internal organs of the dead cows at the State Institute for Animal Diseases, Thiruvananthapuram, confirmed cyanide toxicity.
“The blood sample tests of the cows held at the Idukki lab of the department did not detect any infection or diseases in the dead cows,” Dr. Prabha said.
On Thursday, Dairy Development department Chairman V.P. Unnikrishnan and a team of officials visited the family and handed over a cheque for ₹50,000.
The incident occurred on Sunday night at the dairy farm at Velliyamattom, near Thodupuzha, in Idukki. The cows began to collapse around 8.30 p.m. after the family provided tapioca hull to the cows. Within hours, 13 of the 22 cows died.
