GLDA admits to cattle dying during transportation from Brazil, but denies claims of mismanagement – News Source Guyana
The Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) is rejecting as “false and misleading”, reports that the welfare, transportation, and management of the recently imported 300 pregnant heifers from neighboring Brazil were not properly done, putting the livelihoods of the animals at risk.
The cattle are being held at GLDA’s Ebini Livestock Faculty in the Berbice River. Already, there are reports that a number of the animals have died while waiting to be offloaded to the facility.
In a release, the Authority assured that the health, welfare, and humane treatment of the animals have remained the highest priority throughout the importation process. It said at no stage have the animals been neglected, abandoned, or transported without continuous veterinary supervision.
“Contrary to claims circulated online, the cattle underwent a mandatory seven-day pre-export quarantine in Brazil, during which they were inspected, monitored, tested, and officially certified by the competent veterinary authorities as healthy and free from transboundary animal diseases. Upon arrival in Lethem, the animals were subjected to further veterinary inspection by the Guyana Livestock Development Authority before being cleared to continue their journey to the Authority’s Ebini Livestock Facility,” the GLDA said.
Further, the Authority explained that throughout journey from Lethem to Ebini, the cattle were transported in accordance with strict animal welfare protocols which included mandatory rest stops every four hours, during which the animals were provided with feed and clean drinking water supplemented with electrolytes.
“The Authority therefore refutes assertions that the animals have remained continuously confined for six days. These claims are entirely false and disregard the established animal welfare procedures that have been implemented throughout the journey.
The temporary delay at the river crossing was not the result of poor planning or inadequate animal care. Rather, it resulted from prevailing tidal conditions and precautionary operational measures implemented to ensure the safe transfer of livestock transport vehicles across the river. These operational decisions were taken on the advice of GLDA veterinary and technical personnel in the interest of safeguarding animal welfare,” the GLDA said.
Meanwhile, in a brief video from the Ebini facility, GLDA’s Chief Executive Office, Dr. Dwight Walrond said there will be a veteranian that will be based at the facility to ensure that the animals are properly looked-after.
“We are doing our best as an organization to ensure that we uphold those principles which we normal preach,” Dr. Walrond said.
The GLDA also confirmed that during the course of the operation, animal mortalities were recorded. It said while the losses were regrettable, it was promptly documented and managed in accordance with established veterinary protocols.
The GLDA also made clear that the cattle are public assets, procured by the Government of Guyana as part of a national livestock development programme.
The Opposition, APNU and WIN party have both flagged the import and transportation of the cattle, highlight the poor conditions they were made to endure.
The purchase and importation of the cattle form part of a multi-million Government livestock project.
