HC stays auction of 12 Kangayam cows by TN dist livestock farm

The Madras High Court has stayed the sale of 12 Kangayam cows, a popular breed, through public auction by the Krishnagiri district livestock farm.
Admitting a plea by Palayakottai Pattagar Cattle Farm and Research Centre, Tirupur, Justice K Ravichandrabaabu passed an interim order yesterday.
The petitioner objected to such public sale of the popular breed.
The petitioner said they learnt that the district farm intended to sell the old, unfit Kangayam cattle illegally to a private cowshed in Coimbatore without following due process and had prevented it by complaining to police.
They had also made a representation claiming that the original nucleus herd of Kangayam were supplied by their ancestors to the district livestock farm for breeding and they should be allowed to take back the cattle declared unfit.

But the district farm issued a notice calling for public auction of the cows, along with horses and sheep in its custody. The centre objected to the sale and urged authorities to allow them to take the cattle.

The main reason for their objection was that if the cows were given to a third party and allowed to mix with other breeds widely available in the market, it would amount to destroying the very limited genetically pure gene pool of Kangayam.
As the district farm authorities failed to consider their representation, the centre moved the high court.
The petitioner also contended that sale of such unfit cattle in public market is against the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017.