Stray cattle in Goa eating non-veg food, says minister

Stray cattle brought to a cow shelter in Goa are found to have turned non-vegetarian, state minister Michael Lobo has claimed.

The animals developed this habit by feasting on leftover chicken and fried fish dumped in garbage, he said.

"We brought 76 cattle from Calangute area to the gaushala where they are being looked after. We realised that they have turned non-vegetarian," Lobo said during a function at Arpora village in North Goa district on Sunday.

These stray cattle do not eat grass. "They neither eat gram nor the special feed given to them," he said.

The cattle from Calangute and Candolim are used to eating non-vegetarian food, like leftover chicken scraps and stale fried fish dumped by restaurants, the minister said.

"We always say cattle are vegetarian. But, the cattle from Calangute are non-vegetarian. They (gaushala operators) are facing this issue now," he said.

Those running the cow shelter have sought help from veterinary doctors to treat these animals, he added.