Bird Flu: Why are livestock and poultry suffering?

 

For decades we have been listening to bird flu that affects birds. We observed the disease in poultry that obliterated entire herds. We noticed that caged poultry suffered. Was it a result of stress? We know that birds and small livestock are very sensitive creatures.

As days passed poultry became a popular commercial enterprise and thence emerged the broiler chicken. Experts say broilers are meat factories. They are fattened for meat with hormones, steroids and antibiotics. They are regularly vaccinated. They are fed artificial high protein feed containing meat. They are kept in very confined cages. After all the objective is to kill and eat them so there is no scope for humane treatment. Surely this results in great toxicity and stress?

Our greed extends to small livestock and dairy. Earlier there used to be open grazing. Cattle were very well cared for as they were assets, treated as family members. They received care and appropriate food. The milk, urine, dung and labour they provided was precious. There was also a widespread notion that in times of crisis the cattle took it upon themselves to protect the family. Several owners testified to this and others nodded in agreement.

With passing time we became insensitive to the household animals and exploited them to the hilt for profit. Once again hormones, steroids, antibiotics, and artificial feed became the norm. Vaccines are religiously given.

Are these healthy practices? Maneka Gandhi, the animal crusader wrote several articles on the downside of these practices but they did not make a dint. She described in gory detail how we are poisoning both the animals and ourselves. We did not bat an eyelid.

Today electricity and wireless are the new challenges. Arthur Fistenberg detailed very minutely how each phase of development in this sector led to epidemics of influenza. People read, were amazed, and forgot.

Rachel Carson wrote about DDT and other agricultural poisons and how they are affecting vegetation, birds, animals, and humans. Once again there was a furor. DDT was withdrawn (still continues in India) but it did not stop the fertilizer and pesticide industry. The latest product, herbicides, is the best of poisons to emerge from their laboratories. Pity the birds and animals that are exposed while grazing in the fields and drinking from contaminated water bodies.

Industrial and automobile pollution has peaked. Birds who fly in the air soak it all in. These pollutants are abundant in the water bodies they frequent.

It is no wonder that the animal world is suffering. A veterinarian who worked in the Nandankanan zoo had confessed during our visit that animals and birds are best allowed to live in their natural habitat. Putting them in zoos and medicating them invariably sickens them and shortens their lifespan. I don't think anyone would disagree.

When we go to rural areas the farmers point out that only animals in their sheds fall sick. The abandoned animals grazing in the open are not observed to suffer the range of illnesses that the captive ones experience. The lumpy skin disease is the most recent example, only the "cared for" animals suffered.

But then it seems the combined effects of all of the extreme poisons pales before one invisible entity - the boogy man; Virus. Viruses are dangerous!

Earlier bacteria were blamed for diseases. Later it was observed that diseases occurred despite their absence. Scientists were not to be deterred. They said, there are unseen pathogens called viruses that creates disease. The word virus incidentally translates to toxin or poison. What an irony!

As the medical world marched along, sane voices pointed out that there is absolutely no evidence that bacteria and viruses are responsible for disease. These entities do not follow the laws that would prove otherwise. Direct physical experiments conducted over the years with healthy subjects also failed to prove the association.

Post Covid the medical world was shaken by the revelations of the best of physicians. They laid bare the truth. The virus theory is a myth propagated to satisfy the greed of the pharmaceutical industry.

But then the industry rules and none of us have the guts to challenge it. Dr Anthony Fauci declared with elan during Covid times, "I am science. My words are science." When this great man of science was dragged to the US Senate and grilled he shook like a leaf and in his one hour interrogation repeated the words "I do not remember" 140 times. He is still free to declare scientific facts for pharma is king. Its soldiers cannot be touched.

Coming back to livestock, I had discovered ages ago, while investigating the strange phenomenon called herd immunity, that medical scientists compared populations to cattle that are subject to merciless jabs. There is no difference between a human being and animal, not just in the spiritual sense, but in the hallowed environment of the medical world too.

As we are herded towards the end game, let us drop all pretenses, go down on all fours, and bellow like cows. For that is our true scientific identity; Homo Fatuus Bos Taurus.