At least 10 cows died and several others fell seriously ill after allegedly consuming leftover food from a ‘terhavi’ ceremony at a gaushala in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, officials said.
According to authorities, around 30 cows housed at the gaushala developed severe health complications after being fed leftover food from a post-death ritual gathering.
The incident occurred in Bhaisa village, which falls under the jurisdiction of Refinery Police Station.
Chief Veterinary Officer Dr NN Shukla said the cows suffered from acidosis, a medical condition caused by excessive acid accumulation in body fluids, often linked to improper or contaminated food intake in animals.
“A total of 30 cows fell ill due to acidosis after eating the leftover food. Ten cows died, but doctors managed to save another 20 cows, which are doing fine now,” Dr Shukla said.
Officials stated that the food had originated from a ‘terhavi’ ceremony — a traditional ritual held on the thirteenth day after a person’s death.
The ceremony had reportedly been organised on May 20 following the death of the local gram pradhan.
After the event concluded, a large quantity of leftover food remained unused and was later distributed to animals housed at the temporary gaushala on May 22.
Soon after consuming the food, multiple cows began showing signs of illness and distress, eventually developing symptoms associated with acidosis.
As the condition of the animals deteriorated, veterinary authorities launched an emergency medical response.
A team of 10 veterinarians was deployed to the gaushala to treat the affected cattle and prevent additional fatalities.
Experts from Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwavidyalaya Evam Go-Anusandhan Sansthan were also called in to assist with treatment and investigation efforts.
Doctors worked to stabilise the surviving cows, and officials later confirmed that around 20 animals had been successfully treated and were recovering.
Authorities have conducted post-mortem examinations on the dead cows to determine the precise cause of death.
Food samples and other biological samples have also been collected and sent for laboratory investigation to establish whether contamination, spoilage, fermentation, or another factor triggered the medical emergency.
Officials said the gaushala where the incident occurred is currently being managed by the gram sabha and that arrangements are already underway to shift the cattle to a new location in Ral village.
The incident has raised concerns regarding the feeding of leftover ceremonial food to animals and the monitoring of food quality at temporary shelters and gaushalas.
Veterinary experts noted that sudden dietary changes, spoiled food, excessive starch intake, or improperly stored leftovers can sometimes trigger digestive complications and acidosis in cattle, especially when consumed in large quantities.
Authorities are expected to wait for the laboratory and post-mortem reports before confirming the exact sequence of events that led to the deaths of the cows.
