The laboratory tests also indicated the presence of heavy insecticides in the blood samples collected from the affected animals. These suggest that the farmers had probably applied malathion or chlorpyriphos insecticides either on the current fodder crop or on the previous kharif crop sown in that field.

According to a statement issued by the university, the livestock farming community does not follow the recommendations made by GADVASU for raising and feeding of fodder crops.

These animals had died in the Tajpur Dairy Complex of Ludhiana. Some cases were also reported from Burj Hari Singh village near Raikot and Hardasa village, Ferozepur district.

The scientists added that the farmers are advised to use only organic farmyard manure or limited use of chemical fertilizers in recommended doses, so that the nitrate content of the crop does not go beyond the normal permissible limit.

The fodder samples collected from the affected dairies have shown very high nitrate content, particularly in toria, which constitute the bulk of the green fodder available in the current season. The nitrogen uptake and fixation in the fodder plants particularly goes high in dry weather, and low temperature/cloudy conditions. Scientists suggest that the entire quantity of urea should be applied to the soil before sowing the fodder crop.

The scientists have advised that the farmers should not feed toria alone and should always mix it with other fodder crop or dry wheat bhusa. The nitrate level from the fields where mixed fodder crop (toria + maize) is grown is normally high.

Such cases of poisoning are normally recorded during the dry weather just before the onset of winter season and during the early hot-humid summer months.