1600 sheep die after grazing in Bt cotton field

30 April 2006

Hyderabad: Sixteen hundred sheep died in Warangal district after grazing in fields on which Bt cotton had been harvested.

A survey conducted by a seven member team of Centre for Sustainable agriculture working in Bt cotton issues revealed that about 1600 sheep died from Bt toxin near Ippagudem in Ghanapur mandal, Madipalli in Hasanparthi mandal and Unikicherla in Dharmasagar mandal in Warangal district.

The sheep started dying after continuously grazing on the leaves and pods of Bt cotton plant residues in the fields for seven days.

The symptoms did not correlate to any of the diseases occurred during the season, the study said.

The team urged the Government to carry out an exhaustive study of the impact of Bt toxin on livestock, a release said in Hyderabad.

full details of the sheep study