It can get confusing when it comes to buying a healthy sacrificial animal as there will be so many options available in the cattel market. On top of that, coronavirus has made us all the more worried about hygiene. Remember that many of the cattle farmers use steroids and other hormones to make the cow healthy ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha. So, how will you identify a healthy animal as it is important to sacrifice the best one. Isn’t it? Don’t fret over this issue. Read on to find out how to identify whether a cow is healthy or not.

Check if saliva falls from the mouth

Remember that there are many ways to sort out a disease-free cow. One of them is to check the mouth of the cow. If saliva comes out of the cow’s mouth and keeps dropping on the ground, it means that cow is not healthy and disease-free. Stay away from such a cow.

Notice the tail and food intake

Before buying any cow, you must observe the cow for a few minutes. Check the tail and food habit. A diseased cow does not move its tail too often. In fact, it will refrain from moving its tail. Moreover, the rate of food intake is also important. An unhealthy cow will show its unwillingness to eat too often. A cow that doesn’t want to eat straw is definitely not a healthy one.

Observe its movement

As mentioned earlier it is necessary to observe the movement of the cow. If the cow remains steadfast at one point and seldom moves, it indicates that something is wrong. If the cow keeps fidgeting and tries to hit you if you approach it, it means the cow is healthy and disease-free.

See if the cow urinates frequently

A healthy cow will urinate and defecate frequently. Experts opine that if you want to buy a healthy sacrificial animal, check whether it urinate or defecate after a regular interval. This is one of the signs to determine whether a cow is healthy or not.

With all these said, it is also necessary to check the nose of the cow. A healthy cow’s nose usually remains wet. If you cannot identify a healthy sacrificial animal after all these tips, then it will be wise to take help from the veterinary service centres set up at the cattle markets. Vets will be available there to help you out of such situation.

(The writer is a post-graduate with particular concentration on farming.)